Cardinals enter Saint Peter's Basilica, on the day of the translation of Pope Francis' body, at the Vatican, April 23, 2025. Inset is Ugandan Cardinal Emmanuel Wamala. PHOTO/REUTERS
As the College of Cardinals prepares to elect a new Pope following the death of Pope Francis, Ugandan Cardinal Wamala Emmanuel, will not participate in the sacred search for a successor. The Rev Fr Philip Odii, the Communications Coordinator, Uganda Episcopal Conference, said Cardinal Wamala does not qualify because he is above the age limit allowed for the electors.
“Ugandan Cardinal, His Eminence Emmanuel Wamala, cannot participate in the election of a new Pope because he is above 80. The electors are cardinals under 80, and the election requires a two-thirds majority,” the Rev Fr Odii said during an interview with Monitor yesterday. “Cardinal Wamala has participated in the conclave only once.
He was not really representing Uganda but participated in the conclave by virtue of being a Cardinal below 80 years,” he said. Pope Francis, 88, died at his residence, the Domus Sanctae Marthae in Vatican City, on Monday morning at the age of 88.
The Rev Fr Odii said Cardinal Wamala, who is now 98, participated in the 2005 Papal Conclave that elected Pope Benedict XVI. He said by the time Pope Francis was elected, the cardinal was already above 80 years, and could not vote. The Rev Fr Odii said the election of a Pope, also known as the Bishop of Rome and head of the Catholic Church, is conducted through a papal conclave, a process governed by the Code of Canon Law.
The new Pope is elected by the most senior priests, called cardinals. Currently, there are 252 cardinals from 90 countries, with 135 of the cardinals qualifying to participate in electing the new Pope.
Some 110 of these cardinals were chosen by Pope Francis within the last decade. Only cardinals under 80 are allowed to vote. The cardinals from across the world are expected to gather for a meeting (conclave) where a new Pope will be chosen. The conclave to elect a new pope is expected to commence between 15 to 20 days after the Pope’s death.
The Rev Fr Odii said whereas Uganda currently has one cardinal and who is above 80, other countries have more than one. “For instance, Italy has more than 20 cardinals, America has five, some countries have one and while others have no cardinal. It depends on the choice of the Pope,” he noted. Cardinals across the globe will soon gather in Rome to elect a new Pope who will lead the 1.3 billion strong baptized Roman Catholics worldwide. Archbishop Luigi Bianco, the Apostolic Nuncio to Uganda, said Pope Paul VI established the rule that bars cardinals above 80 years from voting for a new Pope.
The Apostolic Nuncio, while addressing journalists at his residence in Mbuya, Kampala, yesterday, said: “Many cardinals are more than 80 years old. These cardinals who are above 80 years, can participate in meetings that take place in Rome, they make different decisions, but they are not obliged to participate in voting for the Pope.”
He noted that during the election of Pope Francis, Cardinal Wamala, participated in Rome meetings, but didn’t participate in the election. “Uganda has one cardinal now, 98 years,and is one of the oldest cardinals in the world, and he’s in good health. So, Cardinal Wamala will be united with other promised cardinals in Rome, in this important moment for the Church. He will pray to the Holy Spirit to guide them,” he said. The archbishop commended Pope Francis for the great service and prayed for the Holy Spirit to guide the Church and cardinals as they elect his successor.
Cardinals
Some of the Cardinals who are considered suitable candidates for the Holy seat include Cardinal Pieto Parolin, Holy See Secretary of State; Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Leader of the Vatican Office for Evangelisation; Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, Archbishop of Bologna, Italy; Cardinal Michael Czerny, Leader of the Vatican’s Social justice office; Peter Erdo, Archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest-Hungar; Angelo Scola-Italy; Peter Turkson- Ghana; Jose Tolentino Calaca de Mendonca –Portugal; Cardinal Robert Provost, the Prefect of the Vatican Dicastery for Bishops; Cardinal Pablo Virgilio Siongco; Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, Archbishop of Kinshasa.
