The Beginning of the Protestant Church in Ankole

A new book entitled The Beginning of the Protestant Church in Ankole: A Discourse Perspective with Rev Canon Amos Rwabihaiga is on the shelves. 

The book was conceived as a collection of the memories of Rev Canon Amos Rwabihaiga and his wife on the one hand. On the other hand it is a running commentary of the discourse of evangelisation in Ankole. It attempts to pull off the latter by capturing the beginning of the Church in Ankole using the voices of Rev Canon Rwabihaiga’s contemporaries. 

As a reflexive process, the author mentions that Rev Canon Rwabihaiga is her father. It is her conviction that the voices captured deeply resonate with those of Rev Canon Rwabihaiga, a pioneer in the spreading of the Good News in Ankole.

Evidently, the process of evangelisation can be envisioned from several angles in this book. The author chose to let the “Word” be articulated by even the least expected provided they were bearing witness of Rev Canon Rwabihaiga’s work in the early Protestant Church of Ankole. Some of the orators were counterparts in the clergy, others members of his family or those he impacted.

The book gives the reader the cultural background as well as the socio-political context in which Rev Canon Rwabihaiga was an active agent of the early Church in Ankole. 

Eresi (Elsie) Bakanage Rwabihaiga, Rev Canon Rwabihaiga’s wife, is also accorded a prominent place in the shaping of this early evangelisation.  

The book gives the backdrop against which the discourse of evangelisation is painted. This takes on the forms of planting churches, bonds of friendship, welcoming people to church, singing, preaching or even training. 

There is a running commentary by the author and often a bible quotation accompanies every chapter.

This provides for space to make a discourse analysis for each specific aspect of the gospel being treated. It also provides an opportunity to draw a lesson, cross-reference or observe the impact of the issue under discussion for each given chapter.

Rev Canon Rwabihaiga was born in Bufunda, Ibanda in 1911. He initially trained and worked as a Primary School teacher before he joined the ordained ministry. He qualified as a Lay Reader in 1937, was ordained Deacon in 1951, and priested in 1953. He worked in different church parishes in Greater Ankole, including Buhweju, Buremba, Burunga, Kanoni, Kazo, Kabira, Igara, Bujaga and Ibanda. He was installed as Canon of the Church in 1972 and retired in 1975. He passed away in 1985.

The author is a Professor of Languages (French) at Makerere University and accepted Jesus Christ as her personal saviour in 1972 while studying at Gayaza High School.