Church of Uganda defends election of Bishop near to his retirement

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Reverend Canon William Ongeng, the Provincial Secretary of the Church of Uganda, has defended the selection of Venerable Reverend Canon Gaster Nsereko as the next Bishop of West Buganda Diocese, despite concerns over his proximity to retirement.

Canon Nsereko, who will be consecrated as Bishop on March 30, 2025, is set to turn 60 years old in July and will only serve for five years before reaching the mandatory retirement age of 65. The election of Canon Nsereko, which took place in February, has sparked mixed reactions from some members of the Church of Uganda, with critics questioning the rationale of electing a bishop who will only serve a short term.

Some of these concerns stem from the fact that other, younger candidates were equally qualified. Canon Ongeng, in an interview with Uganda Radio Network, explained that time in ministry is never short. He emphasized that a person can be called by God for even a brief period to accomplish a specific mission and that the primary responsibility of a bishop is to serve God’s will.

Canon Ongeng also addressed the concerns raised by some Christians who are advocating for bishops to be born and raised in the dioceses where they are appointed to serve. He described these demands as unfounded, stating that they are not based on any established principles of the Church of Uganda. He urged Christians in West Buganda Diocese to support the consecration and installation of Canon Nsereko as bishop and to create an enabling environment for him to fulfill his clerical responsibilities.

Moses Nsereko Ssebuliba, the head of the laity in West Buganda Diocese, acknowledged that the desire for native bishops is understandable given the specific challenges that dioceses face. He urged the Provincial Secretariat to consider these concerns seriously and deliberate on them. However, he also expressed support for Canon Gaster Nsereko, who has served the diocese for a long time, and stated that the diocese is already mobilizing Christians to fully support the incoming bishop.

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