Africa-Press – Uganda. Sironko District is mourning the death of a bishop, who helped stabilise North Mbale Diocese, after it had been marred with turmoil and conflicts from 2003 to 2006.
Rev Daniel Gimadu, who served as the diocese’s third bishop, died this week aged 74 at Church of Uganda (COU) Hospital in Mukono. He had been battling motor neurone disease that affected the nerve cells.
Rev Gimadu was consecrated bishop on December 10, 2006, after the resignation of late bishop Nathan Muwombi fomented leadership wrangles. Rev Gimadu served as bishop until November 16, 2014, and was succeeded by the current bishop, Rt Rev Samuel Gidudu.
Rev Jackson Magombe, the head of clergy in the diocese, told the Monitor that the fallen bishop brought sanity to the diocese.
“The diocese had not seen a peaceful pass over of power because there had always been turbulence,” he said.
The inaugural bishop of North Mbale Diocese was the late Rt Rev Peter Mudonyi Bulafu. He was consecrated bishop in 1992 at St Andrews Cathedral Mbale, and installed as first bishop at St Matthews pro-cathedral Buhugu.
The second bishop, the late Rev Muwombi was consecrated on March 23, 1997. When he resigned in 2003 due to divisions that had cropped up among the clergy all hell broke loose.
The Church of Uganda leadership placed the diocese under a Commissary, an ecclesiastical body appointed to exercise in special circumstances, the jurisdiction of a bishop.
The Bishop Commissary, which served from August 2003 to December 2006, was headed by the late Rev Can Theothorus Kikoso. Other members were Rev Can Stephen Wanzira and Astuluko Wetaka. This was until Gimadu’s consecration as bishop.
Rev Magombe said apart from nurturing the clergy through training, Rev Gimadu also introduced income generating programmes to empower households.
Mr Nathan Nandala Mafabi, the Budadiri West lawmaker, said the fallen bishop will be sorely missed.
“He spearheaded development in the diocese at a time nobody believed it was possible. He succeeded yet he came in at a time when the diocese had been divided,” he said.
At its inception, the diocese had two archdeaconries and 21 parishes. It would steadily grow to the current seven archdeaconries with 53 parishes and 239 congregations under Rev Gimadu’s leadership. The number of clergy has increased.
Eulogised
Rev John Nandaah, the bishop of Mbale Diocese, eulogised Rev Gimadu as “a good administrator” and evangelist who spread the gospel without fear or favour.
“It’s the sickness that grounded him because he was still active in the spreading of the gospel,” he said.
Ms Elizebeth Masiko Gimadu eulogised her father as loving and welcoming.
“He loved to read the Bible and he made sure that we go to school even when he was getting little money as a reverend,” she said.
Rev Ronald Makoba, a chaplain, said the fallen bishop built manpower, promoted mission work and fellowship revival in the diocese.
“He was a good man of God. When he was still a bishop, he was a wonderful preacher and mentored and ordained me,” he said, adding that the late Gimadu was an ardent advocate for education and health.
The remains of Rev Gimadu will be transported to St Matthew’s Cathedral in Buhugu Sironko District for a vigil today on May 14. He will be laid to rest on Monday, May 15, at the diocesan headquarters, Buhugu.
Rev Gimadu is survived by a wife, Ms Ruth Gimadu, and four children.
about Gimadu
Bishop Gimadu was born in Buginyanya Sub-county in Bulambuli District. He started his education at Nabumali Junior for primary before joining Nabumali High. After, he joined Makerere Business School for a diploma in business studies. He would later graduate with Bachelors in theology from Nairobi Evangelical School.
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