The Primate of Uganda has directed the diocese of Luweero to hold a new search for candidates to stand for election as bishop in succession to the Rt. Rev. Eridard Nsubuga. In a 27 March 2023 interview, the church’s provincial secretary the Rev. Canon William Ongeng said one of the two candidates nominated on 15 March 2023 by the diocesan search committee was ineligible for election.
Canon Ongeng stated one of the candidates, the Rev. Abel Sserwanja Merewooma of St Stephen’s Kireka in the Diocese of Namirembe, had been ordained for less than ten years.
“When the two names were presented to the province after the nomination exercise, a petition followed against one of the candidates. It was about the number of years that the candidate had served as priest in ministry. Rev Abel Sserwanja Merewooma is yet to make the 10 years. This makes his candidature an illegality based on the guidelines,” he told Chimpreports.
Fr. Merewooma and Archdeacon Godfrey Kasana were the two candidates put forward by the search committee from eight nominees. However, a petition from concerned members of the diocese alerted the provincial office of the potential problem of Fr. Merewooma’s eligibility.
“With the guidance of the Provincial Chancellor, we found out some truth about the eligibility of one of the candidates. We shall wait for a fresh nomination process where two names will be selected,” Canon Ongeng explained.
“It is up to the selection committee to ensure a fresh process and send two names as required. We did not go into details about the other allegations carried forward by the petitioners since they lacked evidence. We pray that the committee handles the process quickly to bit the timeline since the consecration of the new bishop will be in July,” he added.
