When Bishop Wilson Kisekka was enthroned as the new Bishop of Luwero on Sunday 24th March, 2024, to take over from the retired Bishop Eridad Nsubuga, everybody thought that the new Bishop would reach out to the Canon Kasana factions and unite the Diocese.
But from the sound of it, this appears to be far from the Bishop’s mind and drama is reportedly brewing between Bishop Wilson Kisekka and Canon Godfrey Kasana in Luwero.
Instead, Bishop went about his new business of trying to mobilize the entire diocesan family to construct new diocesan offices, start a new Diocesan hospital (never minding that a Luwero Hospital which is just a few meters away) and complete the Church pension house.
Critics are of the view that pumping all these projects on Christian at once, in the beginning of one’s ministry may not be a good idea, in the circumstances. Insisting that, it is giving the Bishop a bad look, as ‘biting more that he can chew’.
In any case, the Kasana question is an urgent on, as it threatens to shatter the central financial flank of the entire Diocese-and they have started to regroup.
On Sunday 26th April 2024, a mammoth gathering of Kasana faction met at Lutete trading center where they revived their fundraising efforts for new car for Canon Godfrey Kasana. They have also changed plans for the type of car for their ‘Bishop’.
Instead of a small saloon car, they originally thought of buying, they raised enough money to buy a New TX J150 (Land cruiser) produced by the Japanese automaker Toyota, which is expected to facilitate Kasana’s movements in the unreached areas of the Diocese.
Reviving Canon Kasana’s work in the Diocese is very bad for Luwero. It does not only disrupt church programs and finances but also affects the old ecclesial forms of the church as examples of tolerance and respect for one another.
For instance, the April 25th fundraising event at Nampunge Church of Uganda organized to raise funds to roof the Church were called off at short notice by the Archdeaconry authorities leaders when they caught wind of an impending Kasana visit. This has frustrated local church leaders at Nampunge who had expected to raise enough funds to their church since Canon Kasana moves with a mammoth wealthy Christians and politicians in the region.
The burial of the late Seggonna Leos, one of the pivotal parishioners in the Diocese was also hijacked by the Kasana group. When Canon Kasana arrived Namawojja Church of Uganda, Kalere Parish –which was the venue of the funeral service, all focus immediately shifted from the Diocesan leaders who were present to Canon Godfrey Kasana and the excited group started chanting, ‘Our Bishop, Our Bishop’? The Master of ceremony was eventually forced to skip all protocol and invite Kasana to speak to the mourners.
On Saturday 4th May the funeral rites of the Late Deo Nsereko at Kalere were also hijacked at Kalere and the event was used fundraise for the Kasana movement in the Diocese. Over 8 million Shillings were raised towards Canon Kasana’s work in the Diocese.
Church history has taught us that divisions that polarize Christians usually stem from political options that grow into ideologies taking priority over religious and ecclesial considerations and eventually leading to complete abandonment of the value and the duty of obedience in the church-and this must be stopped.
Yet when the new Bishop rushed to Lutete on 30th April 2024 for a meeting with local church leaders in Lutete, the main center of Kasana’s influence and to try and diffuse the situation, he did very little to quell simmering tensions.
Firstly, the Bishop who was expected at the meet 9 am to arrive and have more time to engage constructively with local leaders arrived at 3 pm. Consequently, by the time he arrived, many key church leaders and experts on the Kasana question had left the venue and others were too hungry to engage in serious discussions.
Secondly, instead of quickly delving into the Kasana question and giving opportunity to members to discuss how this could be ‘nipped in the bud’— the Bishop instead, ventured into the toxic issue of the church land, to which no one has answers.
Critics think delving into Church land matters right away, is a Pandora box no one dare open.
First of all, this is an issue that has never been fully resolved by the House of Bishops in all their deliberations and eventually it has been forwarded to the Minister of State for lands for more guidance.
Secondly, it hinges on the mailo tenure system which dominates much of Buganda region and has been viewed by some as problematic. It has made subjecting privately owned land by Dioceses to central provincial control as prescribed by the resolutions of the 26th Provincial Assembly seem near to impossible.
As we all hold our breath for Sunday 16th June 2024, when Canon Godfrey is to receive his new TX J150 (Land cruiser) at Ssekamuli and officially launch his parallel episcopal ministry in the Diocese —How could we not think that this is indeed an escalation which shows that the Church is perhaps failing in her canonical obligations to the Gospel?
AUTHOR
Rev. Canon Erich Kasirye
CHAPLAIN, KAMPALA CAPITAL CITY AUTHORITY
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