Catholic Church hailed as Lusoga Bible is unveiled

Busoga Anglican Diocese Bishop Michael Kyomya (L) and Catholic counterpart Martin Wamika of Jinja Diocese receive a dummy of the Lusoga Bible during its launch at Jinja Secondary School last Saturday. PHOTO BY DENIS EDEMA

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Bishop Kyomya says the Bible would not have been translated into Lusoga if the church had given up during the period of turbulence.

Jinja- Busoga Anglican Diocese Bishop Michael Kyomya has hailed the Catholic Church for sustaining work on the translation of the Bible into Lusoga during a period of turbulence among Anglican Christians in Busoga region.

Bishop Kyomya said had the Catholic Church jumped ship when followers of the Anglican Church were polarised into the pro and anti-Bishop Cyprian Bamwoze factions between 1990 and 1998, the translation and eventual launch would not have been realised.

“During the period of turbulence in the Busoga Diocese, translation of the Bible nearly collapsed, but the Catholic Church under Bishop Joseph Willigers kept funding it,” he said during the launch of the Lusoga Bible at Jinja Secondary School at the weekend.

Bishop Willigers was the Catholic Bishop of Jinja Diocese until he retired on March 2, 2010. He was succeeded by Bishop Martin Wamika. Bishop Willnger died on September 30, 2012, in the Netherlands.

Two different versions of the Bible were launched. The first version has 66 books while the second one, which is accepted by the Catholic Church, has additional books like Tobit, Judith and Wisdom of Solomon.

The minister for Lands and Urban Development, Mr Daudi Migereko, who represented Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga as chief guest, said it was a shame that the translation had taken so long.

Mr Migereko also urged the people of Busoga to promote their language and culture.

He urged parents to teach their children how to speak, read and write in the various dialects of Lusoga.