I'd resisted office since 2016, says east Busoga diocese-elect

The East Busoga Diocese bishop-elect Rev Can Paul Hannington Suubi has said he resisted the “temptation” of becoming a Bishop in 2016 because of what he described as “personal reasons”.

 “I refused to become the bishop of Busoga Diocese in 2016 and bishop of Central Busoga Diocese on two grounds. The reason is, you will agree with me if you read newspapers. In most cases there is a lot of corruption in this ministry, and I don’t want to be part of that,” Rev Can Suubi told a congregation during a thanksgiving service at St Stephen Church, Kakira Town Council, Jinja District on Sunday.

Rev Can Suubi also told the gathering that he has seen some of his friends change and detached from people after becoming bishop- which made him fear to be the same upon becoming prelate.

After the service, the bishop-elect didn’t interact with the faithful, but headed straight to his van in the company of his wife, Dr Margaret Stella Suubi, and one of their children. He was destined for another thanksgiving at a primary school in Magamaga Town Council, Mayuge District.

“I am humbled before you and Him (God) that we accept to serve and I am asking you to pray for us, pray together. I may be weak but through Him I am more than strong,” the bishop-elect unveiled in late October noted. 

Rev Can Suubi said he will shift his family to Bugiri District on November 14 before going for a retreat on Thursday ahead of his consecration and enthronement on Sunday at St Stephen’s Pro-Cathedral in Bugiri District. He appealed to Christians to turn up in big numbers.

Rev Can Suubi upbringing

Elizabeth Katushabe, his sister, said the bishop-elect grew up with his grandmother in Magamaga and joined the rest of the family members in Kakira from where he attended Kakira Senior Secondary School.

According to Katushabe, Rev Can Suubi was baptised in the Protestant Church because the grandmother was an Anglican, while the rest of the family prays in the Catholic Church.

Emmanuel Barugahare, one of the siblings, said Rev Can Suubi is “very unique and principled,” adding that he bizarrely used to lock himself in a room to say a prayer before doing anything for the day.

He said: “I remember days when he could force us every Sunday to go for prayers. He has limited friends and if he is not in school, he is in Church. He dedicated his whole time to serving God, participated in many Church activities and this is his reward.”

Joseph Waniba, one of the church members, observed that Rev Can Suubi is a devoted and down-to-earth person who can never raise a voice to anybody in public.

“Sometimes, we went fishing but ended up catching frogs, although we really expected to catch fish,” he recalls of their childhood.