Anglican dioceses of Eastern Uganda

The Anglican dioceses of Eastern Uganda are the Anglican presence in (roughly) the Eastern Region, Uganda; they are part of the Church of Uganda. The remaining dioceses of the Church are in the areas of Buganda, of Northern Uganda, of Ankole and Kigezi, and of Rwenzori.

Diocese of Mbale

Erected from the Diocese of Uganda in 1926. In 1954, four archdeaconries were created: West Nile; Lango and Acholi; Teso and Karamoja; and Mbale; there was an Archdeacon of Elgon until that point. ^[1] By 1953, St Phillip the Evangelist, Ngora was a pro-cathedral of the diocese; ^[2] it later became a full cathedral of successor dioceses. In preparation for the creation of the independent church province, the diocese was split in three parts in 1961: Teso and Karamoja became Soroti diocese; the Northern Province the Diocese of Northern Uganda; and Mbale, Bugisu and Bukedi remained and was renamed Mbale. ^[3] When Usher-Wilson was (re)installed as ordinary of the newly-split Mbale diocese, it was at St Andrew's, Mbale. ^[4]

Bishops on the Upper Nile

• 1926–1936?: Arthur Kitching
• 1936–1961: Lucian Usher-Wilson (became Mbale)
  • June 1955 ^[5]  –1961: Keith Russell, ^[6] assistant bishop (became first diocesan Bishop of Northern Uganda) ^[3]
  • Stephen Tomusange, ^[7] assistant bishop (became first diocesan Bishop of Soroti) ^[3]

Bishops of Mbale

• 1961 –July 1964 (res.): Lucian Usher-Wilson (became an Assistant Bishop of Guildford)
• 1964–?: Erisa Masaba (previously Archdeacon of Masaba)
• 1976 –April 1979 (d.): John Wasikye ^[8]
• 1981 –19 November 1991 (d.): Akisoferi Wesonga ^[9]
• bef. 2000 –bef. 2008: Samwiri Wabulakha
• 17 August 2008 –present: Patrick Gidudu ^{[10] [11]}

Diocese of Soroti

One of the two split from Upper Nile diocese in 1961 was the Diocese of Soroti; her cathedral is St Peter's Cathedral, Soroti. ^[12]

Bishops of Soroti

• 1961 –1965: Stephen Tomusange ^[13] (previously assistant bishop on the Upper Nile; became Bishop of West Buganda)
• 28 November 1965 –1976: Asanasio Maraka ^[13] (previously archdeacon) ^[14]
• 11 January 1976 –aft. 8 March 2000: Geresom Ilukor (diocese split immediately before; consecrated 11 January 1976, by Janani Luwum, Archbishop of Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Boga-Zaire, at Namirembe Cathedral) ^[15]
• bef. 2005 –bef. 2009: Bernard Obaikol
• 6 September 2009 ^[16]  –12 July 2018: ^[17] George Erwau
• 2018–2019: Nicodemus Okille, "caretaker bishop" (retired Bishop of Bukedi)
• June 2019 –present: Kosea Odongo ^[17]

Diocese of Busoga

Erected from the Diocese of Namirembe in 1972, the mother church is Christ Cathedral, Bugembe (in Jinja District). ^[18]

Bishops of Busoga

• 1972–1998 (ret.): ^[19] Cyprian Bamwoze
• 2002? ^[20]  –January 2016 (ret.): ^[18] Michael Kyomya
• 20 January 2016 ^[18]  –2025 ^[21] : Paul Naimanhye
• December 2025-Grace Lubaale ^[22]

Diocese of Bukedi

Founded from Mbale diocese, 1972; the cathedral is St Peter's Cathedral, Tororo. ^[23]

Bishops of Bukedi

• 1972 –1984: Yona Okoth (became Archbishop of Uganda and Bishop of Kampala)
  • ?–1983: Lucas Gonahasa, assistant bishop (became Assistant Bishop of Kampala)
• 1984 ^[24]  –November 2012: ^[25] Nicodemus Okille
• 10 February 2013 ^[26]  –present: Sam Egesa

Diocese of North Mbale

Split from the Diocese of Mbale during 1992. The See is at St Matthew's Cathedral, Buhugu in Sironko District. ^[27]

Bishops of North Mbale

• 9 August 1992 –1997: Peter Mudonyi
• 23 March 1997 –August 2003 (res.): Nathan Muwombi
• 10 December 2006 –16 November 2014: Dan Gimadu
• 16 November 2014 –present: Samuel Gidudu ^[27]

Diocese of Sebei

Erect from Mbale diocese, 1999. The See is at St Peter's Cathedral, Kokwomurya, Kapchorwa. ^[28]

Bishops of Sebei

• 1999–2015 (ret.): ^[29] Augustine Salimo
• 12 April 2015 ^[30]  –present: Paul Masaba

Diocese of Kumi

From the Diocese of Soroti in 2001. St Philip's Cathedral, Ngora.

Bishop of Kumi

• 2001 –2019 (ret.): Edison Irigei
• Charles Okunya was elected bishop 7 November 2019, ^[31] but that election was overturned by the House of Bishops on 5 February 2020. ^[32]
• 2019–present (Acting): Charles Odurkami, retired Bishop of Lango ^[33]

Diocese of Central Busoga

Founded in 2016 from the Busoga diocese; All Saints' Pro-Cathedral, Iganga. ^[34]

Bishops of Central Busoga

• 13 November 2016 ^[35]  –present: Patrick Wakula

Diocese of East Busoga

Proposed for split from Busoga. ^[36]

See also

• Anglican dioceses of Ankole and Kigezi
• Anglican dioceses of Buganda
• Anglican dioceses of Northern Uganda
• Anglican dioceses of Rwenzori
• List of Roman Catholic dioceses in Uganda

References

1. "Reorganisation on the Upper Nile" . Church Times . No. 4750. 19 February 1954. p. 140. ISSN   0009-658X . Retrieved 10 January 2020– via UK Press Online archives.
2. "Ordinations" . Church Times . No. 4701. 13 March 1953. p. 203. ISSN   0009-658X . Retrieved 10 January 2020– via UK Press Online archives.
3. "First Archbishop of Uganda in April?" . Church Times . No. 5080. 24 June 1960. p. 1. ISSN   0009-658X . Retrieved 31 October 2019– via UK Press Online archives.
4. "African Welcome for Bishop of Mbale" . Church Times . No. 5120. 30 March 1961. p. 20. ISSN   0009-658X . Retrieved 10 January 2020– via UK Press Online archives.
5. "Death of Bishop Keith Russell" . Church Times . No. 6082. 7 September 1979. p. 20. ISSN   0009-658X . Retrieved 17 February 2020– via UK Press Online archives.
6. The Living Church Annual. Morehouse-Gorham Company. 1957.
7. "New Assistant Bishop on the Upper Nile" . Church Times . No. 4637. 21 December 1951. p. 882. ISSN   0009-658X . Retrieved 10 January 2020– via UK Press Online archives.
8. "Bishop in Uganda murdered" . Church Times . No. 6063. 27 April 1979. p. 1. ISSN   0009-658X . Retrieved 13 January 2020– via UK Press Online archives.
9. "Briefly" . Church Times . No. 6719. 22 November 1991. p. 5. ISSN   0009-658X . Retrieved 13 January 2020– via UK Press Online archives.
10. "Anglican church names two new bishops named - New Vision Official". www.newvision.co.ug. Archived from the original on 2 September 2024. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
11. "Decade of Mission – Archbishop's Charge to 19th Provincial AssemblyChurch of Uganda | Church of Uganda". churchofuganda.org. Archived from the original on 18 February 2020. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
12. "Soroti Diocese gets new bishop". www.newvision.co.ug. Archived from the original on 18 February 2020. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
13. "obituary: Geresom Ilukor" . Church Times . No. 7855. 4 October 2013. p. 31. ISSN   0009-658X . Retrieved 10 January 2020– via UK Press Online archives.
14. "Uganda election postponed: Filling Vacant Sees" . Church Times . No. 5359. 29 October 1965. p. 11. ISSN   0009-658X . Retrieved 13 January 2020– via UK Press Online archives.
15. "3 new bishops for Uganda" . Church Times . No. 5892. 16 January 1976. p. 3. ISSN   0009-658X . Retrieved 15 January 2020– via UK Press Online archives.
16. "Bishop Rt. Rev. George W. Erwau". C.o.U. Soroti Diocese. 28 August 2013. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
17. "Rev. Kosea Odongo Elected New Bishop of Soroti Diocese :". Uganda Radionetwork. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
18. "Rev. Canon Naimanhye new bishop of Busoga diocese". www.newvision.co.ug. Archived from the original on 29 February 2020. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
19. "Retired Bishop of Busoga Cyprian Bamwoze dead". Monitor. 27 September 2020. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
20. "Bishop Kyomya Cries At Ordination". www.newvision.co.ug. Archived from the original on 12 February 2020. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
21. "Busoga Bishop Naimanhye to retire after 9 years of service". Monitor. 19 May 2025. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
22. "‎Rev. Canon. Associate Prof. Dr. Grace Lubaale Elected 4th Bishop of Busoga Diocese - Uganda Broadcasting Corporation". 8 October 2025. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
23. "Wayback Machine" (PDF). parishcf.church. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 July 2022. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
24. The Living Church. Morehouse-Gorham Company. 1998.
25. Uganda Radio Network, 12 November 2012 — Okile Retires After 40 Years of Service (Accessed 17 February 2020)
26. "Rev. Canon Samuel George Bogere Egesa elected as 3rd Bishop of Bukedi DioceseChurch of Uganda | Church of Uganda". churchofuganda.org. Archived from the original on 29 February 2020. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
27. "Uganda: New bishop ditched the bottle to answer the altar call". www.anglicannews.org. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
28. "The Anglican Church of Uganda have appointed two new bishops". www.anglicannews.org. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
29. "Former Sebei Bishop Augustine Salimo dies". Monitor. 17 September 2020. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
30. "Rev. Paul Masaba Elected as 2nd Bishop of Sebei DioceseChurch of Uganda | Church of Uganda". churchofuganda.org. Archived from the original on 25 February 2020. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
31. "Rev. Charles Okunya Oode elected Bishop of Kumi Diocese". www.newvision.co.ug. Archived from the original on 28 February 2020. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
32. Conger, George (25 February 2020). "Ugandan episcopal election overturned". Anglican Ink © 2025. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
33. "Kumi Diocese's Bishop Thomas Edison Irigei abdicates to the Archbishop | Church of Uganda".
34. Uganda Christian News, 24 August 2016 — High excitement as Central Busoga Diocese gets its 1st Bishop (Accessed 18 February 2020)
35. "CENTRAL BUSOGA DIOCESE - Church of Uganda" . Retrieved 18 December 2025.
36. Conger, George (12 April 2019). "Ugandan bishops uphold guidelines on creating new dioceses". Anglican Ink © 2025. Retrieved 18 December 2025.