Africa-Press – Uganda. For close to four years now, Kumi Diocese has continued to tear itself apart over the cancellation of Rev Charles Oode Okunya’s election as bishop in 2019, consequently leading to another election by the House of Bishops that brought on board Rev Mike Okwi Esakan as bishop in 2022.
The two principals, Bishop Mike Okwii Esakan for Kumi Diocese and Bishop Charles Oode Okunya of the Reformed Anglican Church (RAC), have faced off in what onlookers say is a struggle for Christian numbers and satellite churches totalling to 52.
Rev Esakan was consecrated as Bishop for Kumi Diocese in January 2022, while RAC, the breakaway faction from the Kumi Diocese, consecrated Rev Okunya as their bishop in June 2022. Many attempts to have the adversaries reach an amicable understanding have been attempted but have seemingly failed to bear fruit, who once fellowshipped under the Anglican faith turn foes.
On Wednesday, Speaker of Parliament Anita Among, who is also the Woman MP for Bukedea District, joined a team of other crusaders in trying to mediate between the two principals, with a number of resolutions penned as deterrence to any future fights between the two bishops and their flock.
Mr Chris Obore, the communications director of Parliament, said after the mediation process, which was held in the vicinity of Parliament, the two principals were asked to stop dividing Christians.
It was also agreed that the members of RAC should leave the property for Church of Uganda.
“An independent team will be dispatched to ascertain the true ownership of the disputed 52 churches and property,” Mr Obore said.
Our calls to Mr Jonathan Maraka, communications officer for Kumi Diocese, for a comment on the latest development, went unanswered.
On April 8, 2023, members of RAC in Koreng reported a case of assault against them during dawn as they prayed in preparation for Easter, an attack they claimed was instigated by the Resident District Commissioner of Bukedea, Mr Wilberforce Tukei.
The incident left property belonging to Mr Silver Okurut, the lay reader attached to RAC, burnt and destroyed. Mr Tukei denied the allegations.
On March 23, 2023, the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Maj Gen Geoffrey Tumusiime Katsigazi, held a mediation meeting in Kumi, in which he cautioned the two principals to bring back peace among Christians.
The stalemate leading to the formation of the breakaway faction RAC started in 2019, after some Christians within Kumi Diocese petitioned the House of Bishops challenging the election of Rev Okunya as next bishop for the diocese.
After litigation battle that still went against Rev Okunya, a breakaway faction emerged. Since then, members of RAC and Kumi Diocese have remained at loggerheads.
Mr Stephen Asiate, the spokesperson for RAC, said they are the victims whose pain has always been swept under the carpet.
“The Bukedea attack that left four people hospitalised was just a fraction of the many attacks inflicted on us. We are a peace loving people whose freedom to worship is being victimised,” he said.
On March 23, a group of people, alledgedly from Kumi Diocese, raided the home of Rev Sam Osire, in Ajeluk Village, Mukura Sub-county in Ngora District and assaulted him and his wife, Rose Abwin. The four people were charged over the incident and later granted bail. The accused are Dan Okiror, Sam Okello, Emmanuel Opade, and John Oba.
The RAC was founded by the former Archdeacon of the Rwenzori Diocese, Prof Jonathan Kyangasha in 2020, after he was defrocked by the Rwenzori Diocesan Bishop, Rt Rev Reuben Kisembo in 2017.
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