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Kotido, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Bishop-elect, Dominic Eibu has started his journey to Kotido Diocese ahead of his consecration on Saturday January 14, 2023 in Kotido Municipality.
The new bishop conducted mass at Immaculate Conception in Soroti on Thursday before starting a journey with hundreds of Christians including security personnel from Soroti Catholic Diocese that will be accompanying him to the new diocese.
In the program to Kotido, the new bishop will be received by the team from Kotido diocese around Adea trading centre in Abim district, a few meters away from Obalanga Sub County in Amuria district that borders Abim.
Before commencing on the journey to Kotido, Bishop Eibu told our reporter in an interview that he will work with the people in Kotido especially on peace initiatives to ensure that Karamoja relates well with its neighbours.
His elder brother, John Michael Engwaru says that he’s hopeful that Bishop Eibu’s election to lead Kotido diocese will help better the relationship between the Karimojong and the Iteso. Although they are related, the Karimojong and the Iteso have been living in security conflicts especially on issues of cattle theft.
While there are cattle thefts within Karamoja, the Iteso especially at the border accuse the Karimojong of stealing their cattle. Some of the cattle thefts involve violence and use of guns that have either injured or killed some people in the process.
Bishop Eibu, 52, was appointed bishop of Kotido Diocese on October 25, 2022 to replace the Rt. Rev. Giuseppe Filippi who clocked the canonical age limit.
The Holy Father Pope Francis has appointed Bishop of the Diocese of Kotido the Rev. Fr. Dominic Eibu, M.C.C.J., & has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the same Diocese presented by the Rt. Rev. Giuseppe Filippi,vupon reaching the canonical age limit.@Pontifex pic.twitter.com/j3CSpdgFPE
— Ugandan Catholics Online (@ugcatholics) October 25, 2022
By the time of his appointment, Monsieur Eibu was the Parish Priest of Sacred Heart Church – Sakakini in Cairo, Egypt where he held other responsibilities like Vice Provincial Superior, Comboni Province of Egypt-Sudan, Member of the Committee of Organizations collaborating with the UNHCR and Member of the College of Consultors of the Apostolic Vicariate of Alexandria, Egypt.
Bishop Eibu becomes the third bishop of Kotido Diocese since it was detached from Moroto Diocese in South Karamoja. He replaces the Rt. Rev. Giuseppe Filippi who retired in 2022 after serving for 13 years.
Kotido Catholic Diocese was founded by the Rt. Rev. Denis Kiwanuka Lote who served for 16 years before he was elevated to head the Archdiocese of Tororo in 2007. Kiwanuka died in April, 2022.
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