By Irene Best Nyapendi
The Church of Uganda is celebrating two milestones. The double commemoration is about East Busoga, Uganda’s newest diocese, which was inaugurated on November 19, 2023, and, the same event, the consecration of Rt. Rev. Paul Hannington Suubi and his enthronment as its first bishop. East Busoga became the country’s 39th diocese of the Anglican Church after approval by the provincial assembly in August 2022. 

His Grace, the Most Rev. Dr. Stephen Samuel Kaziimba Mugalu, the Archbishop of the Church of Uganda and Chancellor of Uganda Christian University (UCU), blessed the twin celebration at Stephen’s Cathedral in eastern Uganda’s Bugiri district. The event was marked under the theme: To proclaim the gospel in accordance with Christ’s commission to make disciples of all nations.

“I, Stephen, by divine permission, Archbishop of Church of Uganda, do now declare that East Busoga has been duly inaugurated as the 39th diocese in the province of the Church of Uganda with its headquarters at St. Stephen’s Bugiri, in the name of God the father, God the son and God the Holy Spirit,” Kaziimba declared.

Kaziimba consecrated Suubi and urged him to heed to reading the Bible, exhortation and doctrine.

“Think upon the things contained in this book,” he counseled. “Be diligent in them that the increase coming thereby may be manifest unto all people.”

The archbishop asked Suubi to take good care of the flock.

“Be to the flock of Christ a shepherd, not a wolf; feed them, and devour them not,” Kaziimba said. “Hold up the weak, heal the sick, bind up the broken and be so merciful, that you be not too remiss, minister discipline that you forget not mercy; that when the chief shepherd shall appear you may receive the never fading crown of glory.”

He dedicated the new cathedral and presented to Suubi the episcopal staff, which he said was of big significance in pastoral duties.

During the service, Suubi took an oath of true and canonical obedience to the archbishop and declared his commitment to uphold the constitution of the Church of Uganda. He affirmed his readiness to resign if requested by a two-thirds majority of diocesan bishops. He pledged utmost dedication to the responsibilities entrusted to him.

“I, Paul Hannington Suubi, swear that I will pay true and canonical obedience to the archbishop of the church of the province of Uganda, in all things lawful and honest. So, help me God,” Suubi vowed.

He promised to respect, maintain and defend the rights of the church and diocese, serving with truth, justice and charity. He committed to observing the diocesan provisions and summoning the Synod at regular intervals

Assoc. Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi, the Vice-Chancellor of UCU and former classmate of Suubi, congratulated him on his elevation to the bishopric. Reflecting on their shared school days, Mushengyezi remarked that Suubi’s leadership qualities were evident even then during their early school days, making his appointment no surprise.

 “As someone who went to school with you, I am particularly very thrilled to see God elevate you to such a high calling to shepherd his people,” Mushengyezi said.

UCU Strengthens Ties with East Busoga Diocese in Anglican Church

UCU pledged continued commitment in training clergy of the diocese on scholarship. 

On behalf of UCU, Mushengyezi gifted Suubi with UGX 1,000,000 (about $265) and an iPad Pro for his work.

Suubi said as bishop, his focus areas will be: evangelism and discipleship; family, youth and children’s ministry; education (schools and colleges); environment management; and development, health and human resource.

“We shall develop a diocesan staff development policy to guide us in evolving a God-fearing, competent, well-motivated and professional human resource,” Suubi said. 

He also noted that as a diocese, they will carefully select young educated youth for theological training to become clergy in order to address the demand. 

The bishop said he was concerned about the Church of Uganda educational institutions whose standards are wanting due to high teacher-pupil ratios, lack of furniture and space.

As a way of addressing staffing and scholastic needs at the church schools in eastern Uganda, Suubi pledged to work with the authorities to “strengthen the management and administration of our schools and colleges, sensitize parents and guardians about their roles and responsibilities.”

Suubi holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Divinity from Makerere University and a Diploma in Education. He also attained certificates in leadership and public administration and management from Makerere University and Haggai Institute, Singapore.

He has been married to Margret Stella for close to 29 years. Together, they have three children.

By Kefa Senoga
What would you do about a son who turns down a job offer after graduating with a veterinary medicine degree, preferring to return to school to become a priest? In 1986, that was the dilemma of the father of Edison Kalengyo. His son, now the Rev. Can Prof. Kalengyo, had just completed a Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine, a four-year course, at Uganda’s Makerere University. Kalengyo had even received an appointment letter, dated June 20, 1986, from the Ministry of Animal Industry and Fisheries.

Despite his fresh qualification, Kalengyo’s heart was elsewhere. He felt compelled to answer God’s call to become a priest, prompting him to join Bishop Tucker Theological College in 1986. The college, now known as part of  Uganda Christian University (UCU), in Mukono, is where Kalengyo pursued a bachelor’s degree in divinity. This was after going through a stringent process of selecting candidates for the ordained ministry by South Rwenzori Diocese, his home diocese.

Along the way, Kalengyo’s family kept questioning his decision. For instance, his father, who was a trained lay reader in the Church of Uganda, knew fully well that the economic prospects for priests were not encouraging. In the extended family, Kalengyo had been the first person to graduate with a degree. As such, many people looked up to him. But he stuck to God’s call on his life to the ordained ministry.

After his course at Bishop Tucker Theological College, the Rev. Kalengyo served in South Ruwenzori as a curate in the cathedral before moving on to serve as a diocesan secretary and, eventually, an archdeacon.   

In 1997, the principal of Bishop Tucker Theological College, Bishop Eliphaz Maari, invited Kalengyo to join the staff of the college, following the recruitment process. He obliged. Since December 1997, UCU has been Kalengyo’s “home.”  He currently serves as Professor of New Testament and Coordinator of Biblical Studies and Languages in the Bishop Tucker School of Divinity and Theology.

Why Dr. Kalengyo Prefers Teaching at UCU to Higher Leadership Positions

He says teaching theology at UCU goes beyond a mere salary. He believes that the true significance lies in knowing that he is fulfilling God’s calling on his life, and that this is what brings him reward and fulfillment.

Kalengyo has refrained from considering higher leadership positions within the church before, even when such opportunities presented themselves, in preference for his job of training church leaders. His extensive theological expertise and deep-rooted academic grounding make Kalengyo’s job of teaching church ministers one easy for him to execute. In addition to the 64-year-old’s bachelor’s degree in divinity, he also holds a Master of Philosophy in the New Testament from Nottingham University in the United Kingdom (UK) and a PhD in Theology from the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa.

Another reason for Kalengyo’s stay in theological education is his wife, who explained to him that by teaching church ministers, he was serving the entire province as opposed to being a bishop who serves mainly his diocese.

Because of this, Kalengyo says he is always happy and believes he has fulfilled his purpose in life whenever he meets his former students who have taken up church leadership roles. 

Kalengyo says his guiding principle has always been that every theological educator should be a pastor and actively participate in church life. For this reason, he once voluntarily served as an auxiliary member of the pastoral team at St. Philip’s Cathedral in Mukono and was the first Chaplain of St Luke’s Chapel Butabika. He also has served as a priest at St Luke’s Church Ntinda and was Priest-in-Charge All Saints Chapel Lweza.

He says he now pastors a group of about 400 Christians from his home diocese who reside in and around Kampala. The Christians gather for worship once every month. He said he also performs baptisms and helps to prepare couples for marriage.

Kalengyo and his wife, Dorothy, will celebrate their 36^th marriage anniversary on December 12, this year. They have three adult children — two boys and one girl — and they are all married. From the three children, the Kalengyos have got five grandchildren.

Born in 1958 in Kasese district, western Uganda, to Hosiah and Elizabeth Katsiotho, Kalengyo completed his primary education at Karambi Primary School before joining St Edward’s Bukumi Secondary School for O’level and Ntare School for A’level. Both Bukuumi and Ntare are located in western Uganda.

By Pauline Luba
On October 11, 2023, former Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Uganda, the Rt.  Rev. Henry Luke Orombi celebrated his 74th birthday. To mark this day, Orombi cut a specially made, three-tiered cake at the Uganda Christian University’s Nkoyoyo Hall, a structure named after his predecessor in the Church of Uganda leadership, Archbishop Mpalanyi Nkoyoyo.

However, the main reason for Orombi’s presence at UCU that day was not to celebrate his birthday. In fact, the cake was a surprise to him, since he had already celebrated the birthday a day earlier, owing to the fact that he had a commitment on his birthday. Orombi was at UCU to deliver this year’s keynote address at the university’s Annual Public Lecture that is always held two days before the October graduation ceremony.  

UCU’s Call for Servant Leadership

Under the theme “Servant Leadership,” Orombi spent the sunny afternoon attempting to convince the leaders in the fully-packed Nkoyoyo Hall on why the positions they hold at their workplaces and elsewhere demand more service from them than entitlement. He said just like the church, Uganda needs more leaders who are able to impact those they lead than leaders who care more about “boastful” lives.

The concept of servant leadership is one aspect of management that is rare to find. It is premised on the belief that as a leader, your first and foremost goal is to serve the people you lead, and then you can aspire to lead them. This is in contrast to the age-old practice of traditional leadership, which is about exercising one’s power assumed from the authority bestowed on them as a result of the leadership position they hold. 

“When you meet some of the leaders and you try to introduce them as Mr., they correct you, saying, ‘I am Hon.’,” Orombi noted, indicating that some leaders are more concerned about the titles than the responsibility that the positions bring.

“But titles go with responsibilities,” the bespectacled Orombi said. “The higher you go in leadership, the more responsibilities you have. You come under more intense scrutiny, wherever you go and in whatever you do.”

Part of the members of the audience were UCU Vice Chancellor Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi and his two deputies — the Rev. Assoc. Prof. John Kitayimbwa and Mr. David Mugawe. Also in attendance was former Vice Chancellor, the Rev. Canon. Dr. John Senyonyi, and H.E Tania Perez, the Cuban Ambassador to Uganda. 

Just as was expected of a former archbishop, Orombi, the Chancellor of UCU from 2004 to 2012, spent a considerable time during his lecture, drawing lessons from the Bible to enrich his lecture.  

“When Jesus walked the earth as God-man, he was fully God, so he had a lot of power,” Orombi, currently the Chancellor of Muni University in Uganda. said. “But, he did not use it. If He did, only slightly. Such should be the case with servant leaders.” 

He called on servant leaders to use the positions they have to mentor people, especially the younger ones, drawing lessons from the life of Jesus, who he said came to serve, and not to be served and that that is the kind of servant leaders “we are meant to be.”

The Rev. Prof. Dr. Samuel Luboga, the chairperson of the Uganda’s Education Service Commission, who was the discussant at the public lecture, concurred with Orombi, noting: “Unless we become servant leaders, we cannot hope to serve efficiently the people before us, let alone accomplish the great commission of Jesus Christ.”

By Kefa Senoga
Uganda Christian University (UCU) has launched one of its latest innovations that will see the institution turn much of its waste into wealth. While launching the waste harvesting and biogas production plant at the UCU main campus in Mukono early September, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi, said he had, indeed, come to believe that waste can be gold.

Mushengyezi’s remarks came after watching a demonstration where waste from the UCU kitchen, fecal matter and cow dung is mixed to produce biogas that can be used for cooking. The biogas production plant was a collaborative venture between UCU’s Faculty of Engineering, Design and Technology and PSEM Africa, an engineering company.

Moses Nuwaha, the projects manager at PSEM Africa, highlighted their experience in constructing biogas digesters, with a history of continuous refinement and development. He said even if they have handed over the project to the university, their participation and partnership should continue as they are looking forward to working with the research team to improve the innovation.

Ucha David, the renewable energy engineer at PSEM Africa, who conducted a demonstration of the biogas production, explained that they combine fecal matter, cow dung and food waste to create a diverse feedstock, ensuring a balanced nutrient composition, to be able to generate gas. 

Waste is collected from the treatment plant and transported through pipelines to the holding tank. Ucha explained that given that the biogas plant is a prototype, they are currently pumping only one cubic meter of waste per hour, even though the pump has the capacity to handle 20 cubic meters.

According to Ucha, the biogas plant does not only rely on fecal solid and liquid septic waste. They combine cow dung and food waste into the mix to utilize all the resources. He emphasizes that relying only on facal waste would not yield enough gas.

Waste from cooked food is crushed into a homogenous mixture — to the same level like cow dung, Ucha explained. He noted that waste from raw food, such as banana peelings, is not effective for the process.

After obtaining the gas, it is stored in gas bags, which are then transported to the kitchen for use. He adds that a full gas bag of two cubic meters is sufficient for two days of kitchen use.

Dr. Miria Agunyo, the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Design and Technology, said their next research will address the packaging of the gas. He said one of the gas bags was accidentally damaged by a stone in the kitchen. In industrial settings, gas is stored and transported in cylinders.

Harry Oryema Langalanga, the chairperson of the Uganda National Biogas Alliance, encouraged the Faculty of Engineering, Design and Technology, which is in charge of the plant, to consider acquiring a solid-liquid separator to enable more efficient utilization of the nutrients found in the digestate. The liquid portion, rich in nutrients, can serve as liquid fertilizer, while the solid part can be subject to further processing or employed as solid fertilizer.

Prof. Elizabeth Balyejusa Kizito, the Director of Research, Partnerships and Innovations at UCU, said her directorate would extend support for the expansion and growth of the project. She appealed to Mushengyezi to consider recruiting more technicians to the different science departments at the university. 

Eng. David Kivumbi, the Director of Facilities and Capital Projects at UCU, noted that whatever can be recovered or transformed from waste needs to be harnessed because resources have become limited. He urged the community to engage in research that benefits the community. 

Mushengyezi suggested that, perhaps, in future, the university can think of transporting the gas through pipes. He said should the project become more beneficial, the funds previously spent on buying firewood and charcoal could be redirected into supporting the plant.

The School of Journalism, Media and Communication at Uganda Christian University, with support from the Norwegian government under the NORHED II programme invites applications for the PhD in Journalism, Media and Communication tenable at Uganda Christian University starting 13^th November, 2023.

1.0 Background

The National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) recently accredited the PhD in Journalism, Media and Communication. The programme is designed to attract both full time and part time candidates, with a duration of 3-4 years for full time candidates and 5-6 years for part time students. The programme will be executed by a faculty team drawn from NORHED Partner universities including NLA University College (Norway), University of Kwazulu Natal (South Africa), University of Rwanda and Uganda Christian University. It will be by coursework and dissertation. Current expertise lies in the following broad areas:

a) Media, democracy and development in Africa; 

(b) Media, gender,representation and participation; 

(c) The media and crisis 

(d)  Science and Health Communication.  

2.0 Criteria to apply at UCU

Eligible candidates shall: 

2.1 Demonstrate capacity and commitment to complete a rigorous PhD course within the stipulated time period (3-4 years for full-time students and 5-6 years for part-time students) under supervision

2.2 Show affinity and passion for teaching in the field of Journalism, Media and Communication

2.3 Prior teaching experience and/or demonstrable industry practice will be added advantages

N.B. Female candidates are encouraged to apply

• Admission Requirements for the PhD in Journalism, Media and Communication

Minimum admission requirements to the PhD in Journalism, Media and Communication degree programme shall be as follows:

1. General Requirements for Admission

a) A Master’s degree in Journalism/Media/Communication or related field, or its equivalent from a higher education institution recognized by NCHE.

N.B. International applicants will be required to provide evidence of accreditation of their relevant degree-awarding institution and academic programme by an equivalent Higher Education authority in the respective country. Additionally, their academic documents may need to be validated by the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB).

c) A research concept paper that will be reviewed to establish its clarity, relevance and suitability. 

N.B.  Applicants who hold a professional Masters’ degree and wish to pursue a PhD may be required to prove their suitability for admission with a minimum of two publications in reputable research outlets and shall be subjected to an interview by a panel of experts. The need for this will be determined by the admission panel.

 Candidates from related fields may be required to undertake remedial courses prescribed by the School to address gaps in essential knowledge and skills.

4.0 APPLICATION PROCEDURE

Key documents:

1.  Application form (see https://apply.ucu.ac.ug/)
2.  Two-page motivation letter;

4.3 Current Curriculum Vitae;

4.4 Certified copies of relevant academic papers;

• A five-page synopsis of your PhD concept

4.6 Three reference letters (one academic, one professional, one character).

4.7 Evidence of publications (if relevant)

5.0 SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS

All applications must be submitted in hard and soft copy. 

1. Applications (hard copy) should be submitted to the Director, Directorate of  Postgraduate Studies, Uganda Christian University, P.O Box 4, Mukono, Uganda  Electronic copies of the application should be sent to https://apply.ucu.ac.ug/ 

cc. jektondo@gmail.com 

cc. akezaabu@gmail.com

• DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF APPLICATION

Applications must be submitted not later than 4.00 p.m. Tuesday 24^th October, 2023. Shortlisted candidates will receive notification by 31^st October, 2023. These will receive guidelines and be invited to present their PhD research concepts before final selection.  

7.0 INQUIRIES

Inquiries may be directed to the Head of Department, Postgraduate Studies and Research, School of Journalism, Media and Communication, Uganda Christian University, Dr. Annette Kezaabu: 

Email: akezaabu@ucu.ac.ug  

Cc: akezaabu@gmail.com 

OR 

The PhD Coordinator, School of Journalism, Media and Communication, Uganda Christian University

Prof. James Kiwanuka-Tondo

Email: Jkiwanuka-tondo@ucu.ac.ug

Cc: jektondo@gmail.com

OR call _256 312 350 800 EXT 284-Attention Mrs. Proscovia Sempungu (School Administrative Assistant)/Mr. Franklin Adeka (School Assistant Registrar)

By Pauline Luba
If you meet Esther Irene Nantambi on the Uganda Christian University (UCU) main campus, she will most likely be in “kitten” (thin) heels or sneakers. Her unspoken love for creativity reveals itself as she leisurely strolls through stalls during exhibitions by the School of Journalism, Media and Communication or art and design. Her face displays a hint of makeup.  Her demeanor is friendly. 

In the sea of students at UCU, Nantambi would likely be pegged for a career in journalism. She was. She doesn’t appear to be a student of theology or divinity. But she is. The girl who questioned her brother when he expressed interest in the vocation is pursuing it herself.  

Nantambi, a holder of a degree in journalism and communication from Makerere University and a once practicing journalist, is back in school. She is in year one, pursuing a Master of Divinity at UCU. When she completes this course, she will become a reverend. The course equips men and women to preach, evangelize, teach and care for God’s people in knowledge and love of God.

The life of the 28-year-old seems contradictory with a disconnect between her desires and actions.

“Before theology school, I was living like a typical youth in Kampala; attending live band nights. I would also go for at least one trip a year with my friends,” Nantambi says. “In the same breath, I was spending at least 4-6 hours in fellowship with God daily.”

In addition to salsa dancing, her nights involved an hour reading the Bible, an hour praying and interceding and an hour listening to a Bible lesson every day.

“I would drive to and from work in prayer and have private quiet moments at work, too,” she said.

Additionally, every Monday and Wednesday from 7 to 8 a.m., Nantambi and a group of friends would visit the Mulago Hospital children’s cancer ward to pray with patients and give support. 

Nantambi also is a Sunday School teacher at Kampala’s St. Andrew’s Bukoto Church of Uganda. At a younger age, Nantambi trained to teach the gospel to children, something she thanks her mother for, as she did not have much interest in it. 

“My mother was a Sunday school teacher; she was also a nurse at Mulago Hospital,” Nantambi said. “Once every month, she and her friends would pray for sick people in the hospital. It was a testimony to me that the spiritual and the medical world can work well together.”

Her mother’s death in 2021 only seemed to her like a commissioning to carry on her (mother’s) ministry further. 

When Nantambi chose to pursue a degree in journalism and communication at Makerere University, it was because of her immense love for literature and the hope that the course would improve her writing skills.    

Her breakthrough into the mainstream media came when she participated in an essay writing competition organized by the Media Challenge Initiative. She did not win, but her performance caught the eye of Carol Beyanga, a competition judge and a managing editor at the Daily Monitor, a newspaper in Uganda. 

Several months after her graduation in 2018, when Nantambi showed up for a job interview at the Daily Monitor, Beyanga and her team hired her as a lifestyle and relationships editor in charge of the newspaper’s magazine, My Wedding. It is from that job that she has now moved on to pursue a course in divinity.

Nantambi’s UCU Odyssey

But it was not easy for Nantambi to make the decision for the career change after her call, which she received through a vision in September 2022. At first, Nantambi says she felt like her active prayer life was misleading her, so she ceased all prayers.  

However, missing the intimacy that comes with dwelling in God’s presence, she had a change of heart, and also finally applied for the course at UCU. The school of theology demands that its students are university residents and on a full-time study schedule, forcing many to resign from their jobs. Nantambi thus left her job at the Daily Monitor.

At UCU, she says she has found a wealth of knowledge she did not expect. She also says that she is still in the process of adjusting with her new life.

 “My closet desperately needs an update,” she said. “My office pants or jeans, jumpsuits, any sleeveless dresses or blouses are all inappropriate wear for the course. Simple things, such as the shade of lipstick, matter. Even earrings must be low key.” 

Nantambi explained that she also curb her salsa dancing not for God (because I know God doesn’t mind it) but for the communities that may not understand a dancing religious leader.

Nantambi is the sixth of eight children of Dr. Samuel Muwanga Ntambi. She studied at Ladybird Primary School, Matugga and Mengo Senior School for O’ and A’level. Both schools are in central Uganda. Nantambi says she was raised by a strong ever-present father and a dedicated Christian mother, each having a strong impact in her life.