Church of Uganda to elect 9th Archbishop today

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The House of Bishops has converged at Namirembe to elect the 9th Church of Uganda Archbishop. Retiring Archbishop Stanley Ntagali’s successor will be announced at midday today.

Archbishop Ntagali was elected and enthroned as Archbishop on December 16, 2012 at the age of 57, taking over from Henry Luke Orombi. He turns 65 years old on March 1, 2020 and that is the mandatory age of retirement as Archbishops can serve only for ten years and no more.

The House of Bishops, the body that elects the Archbishop, is currently in session at the Provincial Office of the Church of Uganda, Namirembe. The House of Bishops is comprised of all active Diocesan and Assistant Bishops. There are 38 Bishops in the House of Bishops.

Among the top contenders of the eligible 37 bishops is Bishop Sheldon Mwesigwa of Ankole Diocese, Bishop Samuel George Bogere Egesa from Bukedi, Bishop Alfred Olwa from Lango and Bishop Samuel Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu from Mityana.

After the election, the person elected will be referred to as the “Archbishop-elect.” He will not officially become the Archbishop until he is enthroned (installed) as the Archbishop, which will take place on Sunday, 1^st March 2020 at St. Paul’s Cathedral, Namirembe.

Archbishop Ntangali is currently engaged in a farewell tour, visiting all 37 dioceses in the Church of Uganda to say good-bye. The Archbishop-elect will say farewell to his current diocese.

Previous Archbishops

1^st Archbishop Leslie Brown, a British missionary and was the first Archbishop of Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and Boga-Zaire (1961-1966)

2^nd Archbishop Erica Sabiti (1966 – 1974)

3^rd Archbishop Janani Luwum (1974 – 1977). Martyred in 1977.

4^th Archbishop Silvanus Wani (1977 – 1983). In 1980, Rwanda, Burundi, and Boga-Zaire became a separate, Francophone Province, and Uganda became its own Province.

5^th Archbishop Yona Okoth (1983 – 1995)

6^th Archbishop Livingstone Mpalanyi-Nkoyoyo (1995 – 2004)

7^th Archbishop Henry Luke Orombi (2004 – 2012)

8^th Archbishop Stanley Ntagali (2012-2020)