Church House debt down to UGX 15 Billion: Archbishop Kaziimba

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, the Most Rev. Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu, has said that the Church House debt now stands at 15 billion Shillings.

Kaziimba made the report while delivering his Christmas message at Namirembe.

‘We launched a campaign and this campaign has helped us a lot. The big debt which we had…it was in 60 billion, kept on reducing and now, we are remaining with only 15 billion,” said the Archbishop.

On 6th June last year, Kaziimba launched a fundraising drive under the theme; “Yes, We Can!” to clear the Church debt with Equity bank and fulfill the building’s original purpose of raising funds for the church’s ministry and clergy pensions.

He then asked Christians to each contribute at least 60,000 Shillings towards the Church House.

The Church House was built with a loan from Equity Bank and the fundraising drive followed threats of auctioning the 16-storey building located along Kampala road.

Under the leadership of former Archbishop Henry Luke Orombi, the Church of Uganda borrowed US Dollars 17 million (62 billion Shillings) from Equity Bank to construct the structure. In the project budget, the Church contributed 30 percent, while Equity Bank provided for 70 percent of the building costs.

In 2017, Equity Bank threatened to take over the structure which was valued at 58.8 Billion Shillings upon completion. In 2018, the Bank again threatened to auction the building after the Church failed to service its loan and accumulated arrears.

To construct the building, Christians and well-wishers contributed about 10.8 billion Shillings through fundraising but since the money was inadequate, the Church acquired a loan from Equity Bank through its business arm, the Church Commissioners Holding Company Limited in 2010. Church House was built in fulfillment of late Archbishop Janani Luwum’s vision in 1977.

Meanwhile, Archbishop Kaziimba encouraged the 37 dioceses of the Church of Uganda to put in place more income-generating projects to achieve self-sustenance. Since the year started, Kaziimba has been carrying out pastoral visits in different dioceses and he has so far visited 22.

He announced that the Church theme for 2023 will be “United for service and growth,” derived from Ephesians 4:11-16.

“We have a number of bishops who will be retiring in 2023,” said Kaziimba. “These are men who have worked diligently and who have faithfully proclaimed Christ to the nations. As I have visited dioceses this year, I have seen the fruit of their servant leadership; sustainability projects are coming up and evangelistic outreaches are bringing people to Christ. I urge all dioceses to stay focused on unity so that you can maintain this momentum. So you can build on the foundations laid in the past and continue to grow. It takes hard work to preserve unity, and I call on all leaders in dioceses to give yourselves to the vision of being united for service and growth.”

Some of the Church of Uganda Bishops scheduled to retire next year are the Bishop of Namirembe Diocese, Rt. Rev. Wilberforce Kityo Luwalira, Bishop of Mukono Diocese William Ssebaggala, and Bishop of Luwero Diocese Eridard Nsubuga.

Ssebaggala will retire in February, followed by Nsubuga in July and Luwalira in December 2023. Processes to replace them have already started in the respective dioceses.

In particular, the Namirembe Diocesan Synod meeting on 13th May elected the Bishop’s nomination team that will nominate two names of eligible priests to the House of Bishops, from whom the House of Bishops will deliver the sixth Bishop of Namirembe. Bishop Luwalira has been at the helm of Namirembe Diocese for the last 15 years after his consecration in May 2009.

The Church of Uganda Constitution requires Bishops to retire at the age of 65 years.

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