Dancehall king-turned bishop

Born on September 29 1962, in Ruhoko, Ibanda District to Steven and Julia, Bishop Sheldon Mwesigwa wanted to become a lawyer. His early days were typical of any teenager. Except for drinking alcohol, he loved sports, dancing and had several relationships with the opposite sex until his turning point in 1986 when he got saved.

“July 6, 1986 was a great moment in my life when preachers of Word of God from Kabale were preaching at St Paul’s church in Ibanda. I got saved, the same day as my mother. This day is still a great moment, my mother, now 82 years of age always jokes with me when I tell her I got saved on the same day with her but challenges me that she was the first to open up,” he says.

Early life
Brought up by a single mother who was a nurse in Buddu, Masaka District, before moving back to Ibanda in 1979, the Bishop of Ankole Diocese failed to make it to university. After his A-levels, he went to Kakoba Teachers Training College in 1983, which he believes was part of God’s plan in directing his path.

“I narrowly missed joining the university, I got 9 points, BEO/3, but I think that was God’s arrangement because I had so many ambitions for the university that could not have otherwise brought me to this; being a servant of God,” says Bishop Mwesigwa. His first posting was at Kibubura Girls Secondary School in 1986 when he was only 23 years old. He left teaching in 1987 to do Bachelor of Divinity Degree at Uganda Christian University in Mukono and got involved in Christian ministry. In 1990, he was ordained as priest and posted back to Kibubura Girls Secondary School.

“It was not easy to teach in a single school at 28 years as the deputy head teacher and chaplain. I even requested my supervisor to post me to another school, but he refused. I complied and developed a good working relationship with the then head teacher Ms Tumusiimirwa. We brought up the school on Christian values and excelled, we were now able to compete with big schools like Ntare, Mary Hill Girls and Mbarara High School,” he says.

Walking the academic path
It was at Kibubura that he met his wife Alice who was the head of the Scripture Union. They go married in 1994. In 1995, he was posted to Ntare School. In 1998, he joined Leeds University for his master’s degree in Education and in 2000 attended the same university for his PhD in Religious Education.

“As teachers, my wife and I have made a bond with the young people we taught. This is an investment, as social capital is the greatest you will ever have as a teacher. I am grateful for my former students like Hussein Kashilingi, Simon Kasyate among others,” says Bishop Mwesigwa. The former senior lecture and dean faculty of education at Uganda Christian University Mukono looks back at his appointment as Bishop as a tough moment. “I had submitted my papers to become an Associate Professor, but unfortunately, I did not succeed. Gladly I became a bishop. However, I had never been in serious church meetings, but thank God for what I have done in three years, it is by God’s Grace and the Lord has made me great,” he says.

Inspiration
“Of course Jesus Christ is my greatest inspiration. I look up to my Lord and always call on Him. Bishop Kivengere is my other inspiration because he is one person I saw that really loved God passionately. He very much transformed and touched people’s lives,’’ he says. He also mentions the Rev Zabron Kabaza and Canon Zabron Kabombozi as inspirations.

The clergy man hopes to achieve three major objectives; preaching the Gospel of salvation, health of people and raising self-sustenance income.

“Religion should not be empty; the word of God should transform them to have life full of prayers and scripture action.”

We are also very much concerned about the health of our people; they should mind the lifestyle, hygiene, food and the type of activities they get involved in. They should avoid things life alcohol and other dangerous things they eat. I remember the article I wrote after my research that “Balokole live longer because of their lifestyle,” he says.

He believes Christians should be self-sustaining and people should learn to invest and make money to sustain them. Among his achievements he points out settling the debts of his church that totaled Shs300M and mobilising believers to complete roofing the Cathedral.

Looking ahead
“When God gives position, he gives you the way to handle issues,” says Dr Mwesigwa who celebrated his third anniversary as Bishop of Ankole diocese on August 11. A strong believer in Transparency and accountability, he singles out a verse in the Bible. “Romans 13:08 says never have a debt with anyone apart from the debt of love. People hate facts and transparency, but I do not give up as long as am doing the truth.”

His lesson- “Let those who are blessed with the power and soaring swiftness of the eagle fly ahead, I’ll go slowly but I too will arrive.”

“Patience pays a lot, people love to go fast to get things but going slowly is much better. Step by step and focused. Getting blessed money can do wonders, you can get all you want with the little money you have as long as it was gotten through clean hands,” he says.

His saddest moments were losing his siblings (a brother and sister) and father. The most memorable ones remain his salvation, marriage and attaining his Phd. A fan of Barcelona FC and KCC FC, he loves watching and playing football. He is blessed with four children, two girls and two boys.

Other Responsibilities:
• Chairman of Provisional Board of Education of COU for both Primary and Secondary Schools.
• Board of Directors Church Commissioners Limited which oversees all investments of Church of Uganda.
• Member of Uganda Christian University Governing Council
• Board of Directors of UCU Holdings
• Chancellor Bishop Stuart University(BSU) Kakoba in Mbarara
• Chairman of International Ecumenical Fellowship African Chapter that was launched at B.S.U

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