Venerable Gaddie Akanjuna should be jetting in as the next bishop of Kigezi Diocese following his being announced as the Bishop elect.
He was somewhat little known to be among the contenders for the seat that was craved for by many clergy especially those from Kigezi.
Akanjuna’s election was revealed by Rev Can Captain William Ongeng, the Church of Uganda Provincial secretary in a press release.
The election according to Captain Ongeng was made by the House of Bishops of the Church of Uganda sitting at Lweza Training and Conference Centre yesterday 9th February 2022.
He will be consecrated and enthroned as Bishop on 26th June 2022 at St. Peter’s Cathedral, Rugarama.
Venerable Akanjuna replaces the Rt. Rev. George Bagamuhunda, who announced last year that he will retire early from active Church Service on grounds of poor health.
Bishop Bagamuhunda told Journalists in May last year that the Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, His Grace Dr. Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu, had Okayed his early retirement.
The Rukiga Woman MP Hon Kamusiime Caroline Muhwezi and many others have congratulated the Gaddie Akanjuna upon his election as the next bishop of Kigezi Diocese.
Hon Kamusime Caroline speaking to our reporter in a telephone interview congratulated the new bishop-elect Akanjuna and wished him a merry journey mercies well and pledged to work with him for the development of this region. He also wished him blessings in his term as the bishop.
Ven. Akanjuna was born on 10th August 1962. He earned a Bachelor’s degree of Arts in Education and a Diploma of Theology from Uganda Christian University, and a Certificate in Theology from Bishop Barham Divinity College.
He is currently serving as an Archdeacon, based at All Saints’ Church, Kabale. He has served in several Archdeaconries as an Archdeacon, as a parish priest, and as a Teacher.
Ven. Akanjuna, got born again in 1988 at the time when he was very sick, is married to Jackeline Charity and the Lord has blessed them with children.
His election puts to rest the struggle that had engulfed parishioners of Kigezi who were torn between Canon Rueben Byomugabe and Canon Geoffrey Byarugaba.
It was alleged that Byomugabe lacked the required academic qualifications to become bishop of Kigezi Diocese and that he has a child outside the wedlock.
For Byarugaba who has now missed twice, may not have been liked by the Diocese electoral bodies although he seemed a much polished Reverend/ clergy to become Kigezi’s next Bishop. Byarugaba is Kampala based.
He (Can Byarugaba) was this time round supported by some people in Kampala and Kabale who include Charity Kaburahona and some professors and politicians from Kigezi. Byarugaba first lost to the outgoing Bishop Bagamuhunda.
Bruce Kyerere a Kampala based lawyer headed the diocesan Electoral body that sent two names to the house of Bishops from whom Akanjuna was elected.
He earlier told us that the public needed to be patient and allow them to ‘cook’ and would ‘serve’ them with the meal when it’s ready for consumption. His comments were in reaction to questions of the roadmap of electing Bagamuhunda’s replacement.
Additional reporting by Byamukama Libino
