Christians celebrate 55 years of Runyankole-Rukiga Bible

Christians in Ankole that use Runyankole-Rukiga Bible on Friday congregated at Boma Grounds in Kamukuzi Division, Mbarara District, to mark 55 years (1965-2020) of the Holy book’s existence.

The thanksgiving event also saw the launch of the study bible project.
Archbishop of Mbarara Paul Bakyenga said some sections of the Bible were first translated from other languages into Runyankole-Rukiga in 1957.

This, he said, was an initiative of Dr Stanley Smith of the Church Missionary Society (CMS).
Dr Smith’s descendants too graced the thanksgiving function.

The first fully translated New Testament of the Runyankole-Rukiga Bible was published in 1977, and then the whole Bible in 1989.

Archbishop Bakyenga, who was part of the translation review committee in the 1970s after he had returned from studies in Scotland, hailed his predecessor Bishop John Baptist Kakubi, and the then Ankole Diocese Bishop Amos Betungura for initiating and spearheading the translation process.

He revealed that the Bible had first been translated into Rutoro and Luganda.

The archbishop also hailed the translators, publishers; Bible Society of Uganda and British and Foreign Bible Society, for their respective roles.

He added that while Anglicans in Uganda embrace the idea of translation in 1950s, Catholics kept using bibles written in other languages and that church leaders would read and interpret the scriptures for the congregation.

Archbishop Bakyenga said Catholics started translating the Bible after the second Vatican Conference of 1962-1965.

In Mbarara Diocese the process was initiated by Bishop Jean Marie Ogez and later taken up by Bishop Kakubi.

“Kakubi was consecrated (Bishop of Mbarara Diocese) in 1969 and together with Bishop Betungura (of Ankole Diocese) supported the idea to have one translated Bible for Catholics and Protestants. They started to choose people to work on the translation and the Bible Society of Uganda accepted to publish Runyankole-Rukiga Bible,” Archbishop Bakyenga said.

However, the archbishop revealed that President Idi Amin stopped the leaders of the Seventh Day Adventist Church from signing on the translated version, arguing that the only recognised religions are Catholic, Anglican and Islam.

The Seventh Day Adventist Church had to operate from under cover. Archbishop Bakyenga has encouraged believers to keep reading the Bible for their prosperity.
Bishop Nathan Ibrahim of the Daystar Cathedral Mbarara urged Christians to read the Bible if they are to grow spiritually and economically.

“The Bible has great impact. I met Jesus when I was 17 years old, now I’m 54 years old. My life has been transformed by the Bible more especially the Runyankore-Rukiga Bible. I believe this book will change many lives now and in the life to come,” Bishop Ibrahim said.

President Museveni, in a message read for him by Minister of Gender Labour and Social Development, Mr Frank Tumwebaze, said there are 7,111 living languages in the world and New Testament is available in 1,521 languages while the complete Bible has been translated into 670 languages.

“I, therefore, advocate more translation of specific books like Bible, authorship of dictionaries and other books full of wisdom to ensure reception of knowledge by all people from the different ethnic groups,” Mr Museveni said.

The President hailed the Church for supporting government in bringing social economic transformation and human development through establishing faith-based institutions such as hospitals, schools and charity organisations.