Archbishop Bakyenga clocks retirement age

The Archbishop of Mbarara Paul Kamuza Bakyenga will turn 75 years on Sunday (June 30) as he waits for Pope Francis’s decision on his retirement in accordance with the guidelines of the Catholic Church.
Archbishop Bakyenga made 30 years as the head of Mbarara Archdiocese on June 24.
Rev Fr Robert Kakuru, the parish priest of Kitabi in Bushenyi District, on Tuesday said there will be joint celebrations on Saturday.
Rev Fr Kakuru said they will be celebrating 100 years of existence while Archbishop Bakyenga will be celebrating his 75th birth day (albeit a day earlier) and 30 years at the helm of Mbarara Archdiocese.

Canon law
According to Canon law, an Archbishop is supposed to retire at 75 years.
“We have laws that we follow called Canon Laws and when someone reaches 75 years, he is supposed to inform the Pope, if he does not, there are records.
“We do not take decisions but he retires even if we still need him, we do not demand as Catholics,” Rev Fr Kakuru said.
He further said the Catholic Church is not like politics where people may demand a leader to stay after he or she has attained retirement age.
“When retirement approaches, you inform the Pope so that another person takes over,’’ Rev Kakuru said.
While addressing journalists at his home in Nyamitanga Mbarara on May 18, Archbishop Bakyenga said he wrote to Pope Francis when he had clocked 74 years so that he can prepare another person to take over but he (Pope) is yet to give a feedback.