From cleaner to Bishop

Patrick Wakula; new Busoga Diocese Bishop

Patrick Wakula; new Busoga Diocese Bishop

After a long period of waiting, celebrations rocked Jinja and Iganga towns last week when the House of Bishops elected the Venerable Reverend Patrick Wakula Idibya as the inaugural Bishop of the new Central Busoga Diocese.

Wakula Idibya, hitherto, the Archdeacon of Jinja Archdeaconry was elected by the bishops in a special session of the house of Bishops held at Uganda Christian University Mukono during the  provincial assembly meeting.

He started serving the church as a young man interested in taking readings and cleaning his home church of Bugobi every Sunday morning.

This appointment ends the full year of anxiety among Christians of the area who failed to have their bishop elected since July last year. It was the fourth round by the electoral college of Busoga Diocese to send names of nominees from whom a bishop to sit at All Saints Cathedral Iganga would be picked but for the previous three attempts the names  were sent back due to allegations laid against them.

A number of nominees have been rejected until recently when the Electoral College again submitted two new names from whom bishops in a meeting chaired by Archbishop Stanly Ntagali elected Rev Wakula to be the pioneer bishop of the new central Busoga Diocese.

Venn Rev Patrick Wakula accordingly is due for consecration and enthronement on Sunday 6th November 2016 at All Saints Cathedral-Iganga a full year since the consecration failed to take place on November 1, 2015 because nobody had been elected bishop.

The first attempt by the Electoral College to submit bishop nominees for central busoga diocese was in May 2015, followed by others in August 2015 and May 2016 but they all did not produce a Bishop leaving the enthusiastic Christians in a dilemma.

When it flopped for the second time in August last year, the then diocesan chancellor Prof David Justin Bakibinga resigned citing lack of support from the house of Bishops. He was in February this year replaced with Moses Wagira who still chairs the Electoral College.

In 2010, the diocesan synod of Busoga Diocese chaired by the then Bishop  Dr Michael  Aaron S Kyomya sitting at Iganga secondary school unanimously resolved to divide the diocese to create  two new  dioceses namely central Busoga with the seat at Iganga and East Busoga sitting at Bugiri. Accordingly to Dr Kyomya, the diocese was too big for one overseer to watch over the Lord’s flock. Central Busoga diocese now comprises the political districts of Namutumba, Luuka, Kaliro and Iganga.

However, preparations for inauguration of East Busoga at Bugiri are still underway.

Who is Venn Rev Patrick Wakula

Wakula  was born on May 17 1962 at Lugulu village, Bugobi parish, Bulange Sub County, current Namutumba district to the late Yasooni  wakula and Lovisa  Wakula who both served  as head of laity and chairperson mothers union respectively for over thirty years.

He holds, a bachelor’s degree in education from Makerere University obtained in 2004 and is a teacher of biology at PMM girls’ school in Jinja town.

He also attained a diploma in secondary education from Kyambogo institute of education 1999, a diploma in theology from Bishop Barham Divinity College Kabale 1995.

Prior to his new calling, Venn Wakula has been the archdeacon of Jinja archdeaconry since 2009, was the archdeacon of Kaliro archdeaconry between 2006 and 2008 was a parish priest of Mbulamuti in Kamuli archdeaconry 1995-2005.

He is the chairman of the diocesan mothers union, youth and children’s committee, secretary to the archdeacon’s forum, secretary diocesan recruitment committee, secretary diocesan ordination and retreat committee and secretary diocesan vetting committee.

He is also the vice chairman board of governors Bishop wills primary teachers college and chairman school management committee for Spire Road primary school.

“It was on 1st January 1990 that I committed my life fully to Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior. Since then, I have never remained the same and I feel the Grace and unconditional love of God and joy for me continuously.

Even though I have continued facing challenges and setbacks,  because of trusting in  His mighty name, I have also attained many achievements ranging  from being a lesson reader  and church cleaner in All  Saints Church Wakisi Naminya parish to serving as priest in a number of parishes, Glory be to God” Wakula summarized his testimony.

He acknowledges the great contribution of his mentor, late Rev Canon Patrick Kitakule who died in July this year and Rev Besweri Waiswa who baptized him for humility and diligence and retired Dean Rev Canon Daniel Kiiza for timely counsel. He is married to Florence Nakakawa Wakula since July 1 1990 with whom they have six children.

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