Kerry Howard Mwesigwa.
Kampala, Uganda – In a development that has stirred internal tensions within the Church of Uganda, another member of the Church of Uganda congregation has decided to take forward the legal action to challenge the appointment and enthronement of Bishop Gad Akanjuna as the Bishop of Kigezi Diocese. Lawgic Advocates, the law firm representing the discontented member Mbabazi Pierre, has issued a final plea for the establishment of a tribunal to hear the case.
The law firm’s letter to Advocate Naboth Muhairwe, the Provincial Chancellor of the Church of Uganda, highlights an alleged commitment by the Church to establish a Provincial Tribunal by July 2023. However, as of now, no communication or procedural steps have been taken to fulfill this commitment. Consequently, Mbabazi Pierre’s legal representatives have urged the Church to set schedules for the hearing of the petition.
This development comes in the wake of an initial petition against Rt. Reverend Akanjuna Gaddie by Mr. Nelson Habasa, which was withdrawn last month. However, Mbabazi Pierre has chosen to press forward with the petition. Lawgic Advocates underscored that, according to the Church’s constitution and canons, the establishment of the constitutionally-mandated tribunal is an obligation, irrespective of the presence of a petition. The Church’s internal remedies must be exhausted before legal action can be taken.
Represented by its Archbishop and Provincial Secretary, the Church of Uganda now faces a crucial decision on the expeditious creation of the tribunal to address the escalating internal discord. The Venerable Gaddie Akanjuna was elected as the next Bishop of Kigezi Diocese by the house of bishops on February 9, 2022, at Lweza Training and Conference Centre. His consecration and enthronement followed on June 26, 2022, at St. Peter’s Cathedral, Rugarama, succeeding the Rt. Rev. George Bagamuhunda.
At the heart of the petitioner’s case is the claim that Bishop Akanjuna lacked the necessary qualifications—specifically, a degree or diploma in theology/divinity—for his consecration and appointment. The petitioner seeks the nullification of Bishop Akanjuna’s consecration and appointment based on this alleged deficiency.
This legal challenge has brought the Diocese of Kigezi and the Church of Uganda to a crossroads, as it grapples with balancing its internal processes and adhering to its canonical obligations. As the Church’s hierarchy contemplates the path ahead, the congregants and the wider community await the resolution of this internal dispute, with implications that extend beyond the ecclesiastical sphere.
