Retired bishop of the Diocese of Kigezi re-appointed in church service

The retired bishop of the Diocese of Kigezi Rt Rev George Bagamuhunda has been appointed as the commissioner for business and trade and the head of the children's ministry in the province of the Church of Uganda.

The Archbishop of the church of Uganda His Grace Stephen Kazimba Mugalu revealed this on Saturday while ending his pastoral tour in the Diocese of Kigezi.

He explained that the child ministry project shall be pioneered in the Sebei Diocese, Diocese of Kigezi, Buvuma Island, and Namuwongo a Kampala suburb to support the vulnerable Christian children in these areas.

“I have appointed the retired bishop of the Diocese of Kigezi Rt Rev George Bagamuhunda to head the newly created commission of business and trade at the province of the church of Uganda. I have also appointed him to head the children's ministry in the province. This has been done because of his expertise. He will also represent the retired bishops in the House of Bishops because of his exemplary work methods. I am aware that he is retired but not tired,” Archbishop Kazimba Mugalu said as Christians cheered him up in appreciation.

Rev Bagamuhunda was consecrated as the fourth bishop of the Diocese of Kigezi in January 2014 and retired in May 2021. During his tenure, Bishop Bagamuhunda pioneered the establishment of children's churches in the Diocese of Kigezi besides lobbying funds from international partners for the construction of nine gravity flow schemes with 315 tap stands, 71 institutional tanks of 2,000 litres each, 728 Fero cement tanks of 4,000 litres each and 141 protected springs in a bid to promote sanitation by availing clean water in the communities.

Ordained in 1983 as a priest, Bishop Bagamuhunda holds a diploma in theology, a Bachelor’s degree in Theology, a certificate and diploma in water engineering, and a Master's degree in water engineering.

In 2007, he was appointed to serve as a provincial coordinator for planning by the then Archbishop Henry Luke Orombi, and in 2010 was appointed as the provincial secretary of the Church of Uganda.

In a telephone interview on Sunday retired Bishop George Bagamuhunda welcomed the appointment saying that he is ready to serve the church.

“I welcome the appointment and I am ready to serve, “retired bishop Bagamuhunda said.

Archbishop Kazimba Mugalu thanked the Christians of the Diocese of Kigezi for nurturing morally upright leaders that are serving the country in different capacities besides being exemplary in establishing projects that generate income for the Diocese.

“I am grateful to the Christians of the Diocese of Kigezi not only for spurring development in the area but also nurturing its Christians into national leadership. Your efforts are not in vain and I think that it’s the reason your Christians that include the former prime minister Dr Ruhakana Rugunda, the chancellor of Makerere University Dr Ezra Suruma, Mr Amos Nzeyi that was appointed the president of Mauritius in 2019 as his country’s first-ever Consul to Uganda besides being a re-known businessman in Uganda and the state minister for trade Mr David Bahati among others are shining at the national level. Your contribution to the church of Uganda clearly shows that you are God’s co-workers,” Archbishop Kazimba Mugalu said.

Archbishop Kazimba Mugalu added that the fact that the Church of Uganda is a landlord in the country with about 5,000 educational institutions that includes 6-universities and several health centers among others, requires adequate representation at the national level to promote the social economic transformation of its believers.