Church of Uganda Prepares to Elect New Bishops for Mbale and North West Ankole

The House of Bishops of the Church of Uganda is gathering in Busia District to elect new leaders for the dioceses of Mbale and North West Ankole. The high-level meeting coincides with the conclusion of the 5th annual St Hannington Day celebrations.

Chaired by the Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, the Most Rev Dr Stephen Samuel Kaziimba Mugalu, the House will review and vote on candidates submitted by respective diocesan nomination committees. Each committee is tasked with presenting two vetted nominees for final selection.

These upcoming elections address impending vacancies caused by the mandatory retirement age of 65 for bishops. The Bishop of Mbale Diocese, the Rt Rev John Wilson Nandaah, and the Bishop of North West Ankole Diocese, the Rt Rev Amos Magezi, are both scheduled to step down in January 2027 when they reach the retirement threshold.

These transitions mark the beginning of a significant leadership shift for the province. Seven Anglican bishops, including Archbishop Kaziimba Mugalu, are slated to retire throughout 2027 upon hitting the constitutional age limit.

Other leaders reaching retirement age during the same period include the bishops of Central Busoga, Kinkiizi, Ankole, and Kigezi dioceses. The Church Secretariat will officially announce the successful bishop-elects once the voting process concludes.

For more details, read the original report on the Daily Monitor.