The House of Bishops of the Church of Uganda sitting at St Stephen’s Cathedral Naluwerere in East Busoga Diocese has chosen Venerable Canon Moses Banja to be the 6th Bishop of Namirembe Diocese on Monday, November 20, 2023.
He becomes the sixth bishop of Namirembe Diocese replacing Right Reverend Wilberforce Kityo Luwalira, who will be retiring on December 8, 2023.
According to the House of Bishops, the selection process began in May 2023, with the Namirembe Diocesan Synod electing a nomination team tasked with proposing the eligible candidates. The committee, chaired by Fred Mpanga, identified 13 candidates for consideration, and two were nominated with Canon Banja emerging the winner who will be consecrated and enthroned in December this year at Namirembe Cathedral.
“The Bishop will be consecrated and enthroned on 10th December 2023, at St Paul’s Cathedral, Namirembe,” the House of Bishops noted.
Venerable Canon Banja was born on October 20, 1964, in Nakabugo Bbira, Busiro, and was ordained in 1996. He is married to Rev. Canon Prof. Olivia Nassaka Banja and blessed with three children.
The Venerable Canon holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Divinity from Makerere University and a Post Graduate Diploma in Education from Makerere University. He has been the Archdeacon of Luzira Archdeaconry.
The Christian community at Namirembe Diocese has in the past expressed deep concern over the prolonged delay in the election of a new Bishop. The issue had remained unresolved, with Christians urging those responsible to expedite the process, citing alleged glitches in the nomination procedure.
“The controversy began when allegations arose that some bishops were illicitly nominated. Complaints centered on concerns related to the transparency and fairness of the nomination process, citing allegations of corruption, conflicts of interest, and a lack of due diligence in vetting candidates,” the Christian community of Namirembe stated.
The election follows a prolonged delay in the selection process, which faced controversy due to allegations of irregularities in the nomination procedure. Reports of illicit nominations prompted an investigation, leading to the postponement of the election. Concerns about transparency, fairness, corruption, and conflicts of interest were raised, prompting intervention from Archbishop Dr. Samuel Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu and the House of Bishops.
