Bishops to discuss Ntagali case today

Church of Uganda bishops have gathered at Lweza Training and Conference Centre in Kampala to discuss the allegation of adultery against former Archbishop Stanley Ntagali.

“The meeting is tomorrow [today] and we have a number of issues to discuss. The matter of the retired archbishop is part of the issues we are going to discuss,” Archbishop Stephen Kaziimba confirmed yesterday.

In their purple cassocks and white clerical collars, the prelates filed at the training centre yesterday in subdued pastoral spirit, contrasting such previously lively House of Bishop sittings.

One bishop, who asked not to be named due to the sensitivity of the Ntagali case, said the mood was sombre and of deep reflection.
Some bishops have quietly questioned the manner in which Archbishop Kaziimba has handled the issue, in media glare, and his countryside engagement with interested parties without first tabling the matter for consideration by the House of Bishops.

The House of Bishops is the top governing body of the Province of the Church of Uganda and comprises the bishops of the 37 dioceses and the assistant bishop for Kampala Diocese.  Archbishop Kaziimba chairs House of Bishops sittings.

Another bishop, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the allegation of sexual liaison between now Archbishop Emeritus Ntagali and a wife of a Reverend in Church of Uganda, surfaced last year when Ntagali was still in office.

A bishop told this newspaper that under Canon law and practice, it was expected that Dr Kaziimba, following private discussions with his predecessor, in which the latter reportedly admitted culpability, would have summoned the House of Bishops to deliberate on the matter and take a united stand.

If the bishops failed to reach a consensus on the matter, it would be forwarded to a church tribunal for determination, according to the bishop.

Instead, Dr Kaziimba wrote to the Global Anglican Future Conference or GAFCON on January 13, communicating that he had suspended his predecessor from preaching, administering religious sacraments or representing Church of Uganda, both at home and abroad.

Ntagali was the vice chair of GAFCON. It is unclear what triggered Dr Kaziimba to alert the global Anglican community, which broke ranks over Lambeth’s acceptance of homosexuality, in writing and in a strident language without prior communication to CoU leaders and Christians.

For instance, Dr Kaziimba said the case of Ntagali, whom he disclosed had admitted to him that he committed adultery, was a “grievous betrayal … of his Lord and Saviour, his wife and their marriage vows, as well as the faith of many Ugandans and global Christians who looked to him to live the faith he proclaimed”.

As the bishops deliberate today, insiders suggest the archbishop may as well be on trial for his handling of the crisis.
To better manage the crisis, one of the bishops, said Archbishop Kaziimba should have informed Ntagali privately to turn down invites to preach or administer religious sacraments.
Anglicans number approximately 13 million in Uganda.

About Ntagali
Ntagali served as the 8th archbishop of the Church of Uganda and handed office to Dr Kaziimba on March 1, 2020 after clocking the retirement age. While serving as Archbishop, Ntagali was concurrently the Bishop of Kampala, with a seat at All Saints Nakasero Cathedral. He had previously served as Bishop of Masindi-Kitara Diocese from 2004 to 2012.  
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