Jackson Asiimwe Rwamwehare, the former Kamuli Resident District Commissioner and a member of the synod accused the Bishop and the Kigezi Diocesan Secretary Obed Turihohabwe for transferring their archdeacon yet he had spent a short time preaching the gospel in the area.
Hundreds of Christians stormed Kigezi Diocese offices this afternoon protesting the transfer of the Kantare Archdeacon, Venerable Reverend Epaphras Baryamureeba.
Last week, Rt. Rev. George Bagamuhunda, the Bishop of Kigezi Diocese transferred Baryamureeba and appointed him the Assistant in-charge of planning in the Diocese.
He appointed Reverend Milton Nkurunungi as Kantare Archdeacon. According to sources in the diocese, Bishop Bagamuhunda transferred Baryamureeba from Kantare Archdeaconry allegedly for rallying support for Victoria Abigail Atukunda, a catholic eyeing the Rukiga Woman Parliamentary seat.
This afternoon, hundreds of Christians stormed the office of the Bishop protesting Baryamureeba's transfer. The Christians argued that there is no way how their archdeacon can be transferred just after serving for one year.
They accused the Bishop of acting arbitrarily without verifying whether Baryamureeba has been involving himself in politics. Jackson Asiimwe Rwamwehare, the former Kamuli Resident District Commissioner and a member of the synod accused the Bishop and the Kigezi Diocesan Secretary Obed Turihohabwe for transferring their archdeacon yet he had spent a short time preaching the gospel in the area.
Rwamwehare wonders why the Bishop rushed to transfer their archdeacon without consulting any of the leaders in the archdeaconry. Kezekia Busingye, the Chief Church warden Kantare Archdeaconry, says the Bishop's decision to transfer Baryamureeba is not welcome. He wants the Bishop to revoke the transfer of Baryamureeba, saying he is a well-focused archdeacon who likes development.
Following the protest, Bishop Bagamuhunda and Turihohabwe held a closed door meeting with the Christians to resolve the impasse. Bishop Bagamuhunda later told journalists that the Christians had used the wrong approach to express their concerns. He also dismissed claims that he transferred Baryamureeba because of political rumors, saying it is a blatant lie.
