President Yoweri Museveni has called upon church leaders in the country to encourage their congregations to create wealth.

The President, who was speaking at the consecration ceremony of the 4th West Ankole Diocesan new Bishop, Rt. Rev. Johnson Twinomujuni at Bweranyangi Girls Secondary School in Bushenyi Municipality, also asked the church leaders to adopt a parish based poverty eradication policy. He observed that while it is the work of the clergy to work on the redemption of their congregations, they should also encourage their followers to get wealth and improve their household incomes.

Museveni Museveni expressed happiness that West Ankole Diocese managed to resolve the wrangles that had threatened its unity. He donated Shs.10 million (ten million) to St Peter’s Cathedral Bweranyangi, the seat of the West Ankole Diocese, and also gave the new Bishop, Rt. Rev. Twinomujuni, a car to help him carry out his pastoral work.

The Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, the Most Rev. Stanley Ntagali, who presided over the consecration ceremony, advised Bishop Twinomujuni to remain humble and work with everyone.

On April 20, 2017 Bishop Twinomujuni was elected by the House of Bishops to replace Rt. Rev Yona Katoneene who retired in October 2016.

In his charge, Bishop Twinomujuni said that West Ankole Diocese will, under his direction, work for spiritual growth and socio-economic transformation.

“Aware of our political, economic, socio-cultural, technological, ecological and legal factors that surround us as a church, we envision a diocese that is Christ – centred, theologically sound, spiritually alert, financially stable and impactful,” he said.

The Bishop also called upon the West Ankole Diocese to step over the past and unite for the good of the diocese.

“Let us declare closure of the turmoil, turbulence and commotion. Let us come together and demonstrate that healing is possible,” he said.

Wrangles developed among leaders of the Ankole West Diocese in 2013 when a group of people calling themselves “concerned stakeholders” from Sheema district accused the then West Ankole Diocesan Bishop and Ankole Western Institute of Science and Technology (AWIST) Chancellor, Rt. Rev. Katoneene over claims of corruption and mismanagement.

They accused him of, among other things, plotting to shift AWIST campus from Sheema to the neighbouring Bushenyi district, mismanaging diocese funds and other church projects.