FEATURE: DIOCESE OF NORTHERN UGANDA PREPARES TO BID FAREWELL TO ARCHBISHOP KAZIMBA

The Bishop of the Diocese of Northern Uganda, the Rt. Rev. Godfrey Loum and Rev. Canon Peter Oloya, chairperson of the central organizing committee during a press conference.

By Odong Stephen

Gulu City

Preparations are gathering momentum in the Diocese of Northern Uganda ahead of a major farewell and pastoral celebration for the Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, the Most Rev. Stephen Kazimba Mugalu.

The celebration will be held on Sunday, September 27, 2026, at the Gulu High School Playground, marking Archbishop Kazimba’s final pastoral visit to the Diocese of Northern Uganda in his capacity as Archbishop of the Church of Uganda.

The Archbishop is expected to arrive in Gulu on Saturday, September 26, where he will meet briefly with clergy, civil servants and political leaders at the Bishop’s residence before joining Christians and members of the public for the main farewell celebration the following day on Sunday.

For the Diocese of Northern Uganda, the event is more than a farewell. Church leaders describe it as an opportunity to celebrate the Archbishop’s ministry, thank him for his service, pray with him and receive his blessing as he prepares to leave office.

He is coming to say farewell

The Bishop of the Diocese of Northern Uganda, the Rt. Rev. Godfrey Loum, said Archbishop Kazimba’s visit carries special significance within the structure and ministry of the Church of Uganda.

“He is like a pastor to the Bishop, and the Bishop is a pastor to the clergy, while the clergy are pastors to the congregation entrusted to their care. So, as the Archbishop comes, he is coming to say farewell to the Bishop, the priests, the lay leaders and the congregation,” Bishop Loum said.

He encouraged Christians to use the occasion to come together in prayer and thanksgiving. “This is a wonderful opportunity for us to meet with the servant of God, to pray together with him, to give him something and bless him for having accepted to be our shepherd for all this period, and then for him to pray a blessing upon us,” he said. 

Call for a big turnout

The central organizing committee says it is preparing for a large gathering and has appealed to Christians, well-wishers and members of the public to support the event.

Rev. Canon Peter Oloya, chairperson of the central organizing committee, urged people from across the Acholi sub-region and neighboring areas to attend the celebration. “We are calling upon people to come in big numbers, and we also need their support because the Archbishop is coming to bless us. That is why I am appealing to the general public to offer him a gift that will make him happy. He is coming here to bless us, so we should also be happy and show our appreciation,” Oloya said.

He said the Archbishop’s visit should be treated with the same spirit of hospitality traditionally shown when welcoming a visitor. “Since he is coming to the Acholi sub-region, people should come in big numbers. Even people from neighboring regions should come and pray together with him,” he said.

“As we all know, when a visitor is coming, the people at home have to prepare and welcome the visitor. So, everyone should come in person, and if you have any gift you want to give him, that is welcome because, at the end of the day, he will pray for us all.”

Christians urged to contribute

Rev. Allan Otim also called on Christians and members of the public to take part in the preparations leading up to the main celebration.

He encouraged people to attend organizing meetings that usually take place on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday all at 4:00 PM and also contribute according to their ability.

“First, we call upon everyone to attend the meetings and actively participate in the preparations. Secondly, if you have an animal, foodstuff or anything stored in your granary that you would like to contribute, please bring it to the organizing committee to support the preparations for the event,” Otim said.

He also appealed to those wishing to make financial contributions to do so through their local churches. “If you wish to contribute money, please take your contribution to the nearest church and make sure you receive an official receipt as proof of your support to the Church,” he said.

Otim further called on Christians and members of the public to turn up in large numbers for the main prayer mass at Gulu High School on Sunday, September 27.

Looking back on Archbishop Kazimba’s ministry

As the Church of Uganda prepares to bid farewell to Archbishop Kazimba, leaders in Northern Uganda are also reflecting on his years of service and the challenges he faced when he took office.

Archbishop Kazimba was elected in 2019 and consecrated as Archbishop of the Church of Uganda in March 2020, at the beginning of one of the most difficult periods in recent history.

His tenure began as the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted church activities across the country, with places of worship closed and religious communities forced to adapt to unprecedented restrictions.

Despite the difficult circumstances, Bishop Loum said Archbishop Kazimba has left a significant mark on the Church of Uganda.

Among the achievements highlighted by the bishop is the consecration of 22 Bishops during his time as Archbishop a number that places him among the Church of Uganda’s most active archbishops in terms of episcopal consecrations. “He has consecrated 22 bishops, and he happens to be number two in terms of the number of bishops consecrated,” Bishop Loum said.

According to the bishop, the 22 bishops will continue the ministry that Archbishop Kazimba helped establish and strengthen during his tenure. “He is leaving behind 22 bishops who will be continuing with the ministry that he is leaving,” Loum said.

Supporting Karamoja during famine

Bishop Loum also pointed to Archbishop Kazimba’s response to the food crisis that affected Karamoja, where severe hunger left communities in desperate need of assistance.

At the time, Archbishop Kazimba mobilized the Church of Uganda to raise resources to support communities affected by famine. Church partners also joined the effort, providing additional assistance.

The Diocese of Northern Uganda alone contributed US$150,000 to the response, according to Bishop Loum. “When he became Archbishop, there was famine in Karamoja and people were dying of hunger. He was able to mobilize the Church of Uganda to raise resources, and resources were raised. Church partners also supported and donated to Karamoja,” Loum said.

“The Diocese of Northern Uganda alone, under the appeal from the Archbishop, was able to give to Karamoja a donation of US$150,000, which was added to other support from other regions.”

Bishop Loum said several other initiatives launched during Archbishop Kazimba’s tenure are still underway and are expected to benefit the Church and the wider public for years to come.

He pointed to the Archbishop’s involvement with the Anglican Relief and Development Fund (ARDF), an international relief and development organisation, through which the Diocese of Northern Uganda has received support for various development initiatives.

One of the major projects currently in progress is a US$400,000 poultry project, which is being established with support from ARDF. Bishop Loum said the project is expected to take about three years to become fully operational and is intended to develop the entire poultry value chain, from raising and breeding birds to other stages of production.

“This project is still ongoing. It is expected to take about three years before it is fully functional and able to support the entire poultry value chain, including raising and breeding,” he said.

Bishop Loum also highlighted the creation of two new dioceses during Archbishop Kazimba’s tenure West Rwenzori and East Busoga describing the development as part of the wider growth and expansion of the Church of Uganda.

He said the Diocese of Northern Uganda has also experienced significant growth at different levels of its ministry. “For us as the Diocese of Northern Uganda, we have been able to grow by one archdeaconry. Before, we had nine archdeaconries, but now we have ten,” Bishop Loum said.

He added that the number of parishes has also increased from 40 to 44, while the most significant growth has been recorded at the grassroots level. “The biggest growth has been at the lower level of our Church, at the sub-parish level. By the time the Archbishop came into office, we had about 288 local churches. But about four months ago, when we conducted the latest census, we had 388 local churches. This means the growth has really been at the grassroots level,” he said.

For Bishop Loum, the figures tell a broader story of a Church that has continued to expand its reach and ministry despite the challenges of the past several years.

He said Archbishop Kazimba’s contribution to the Church from strengthening its leadership and responding to humanitarian crises to supporting development and encouraging the growth of dioceses and local churches, he deserves recognition and appreciation.

A farewell before retirement

Archbishop Kazimba has led the Church of Uganda since 2020 and is scheduled to retire in August 2027, in line with the Church constitution, which sets the mandatory retirement age for the Archbishop at 65.

His decision to retire in 2027 will bring to an end a tenure that began during the COVID-19 pandemic and included moments of crisis, humanitarian response, episcopal leadership and continued expansion of the Church’s ministry.

For Christians in Northern Uganda, the September 27 celebration will provide a chance to say thank you.

And as preparations continue across the Diocese, the message from the organisers is clear: come, pray, celebrate and bid farewell to the Archbishop.

Written by newsroom-radiopacis