President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has gifted a brand-new Toyota Land Cruiser SUV to the Bishop of Busoga Diocese, Rt Rev Grace Lubaale, to support his pastoral and administrative responsibilities across the diocese.
The gift fulfils a commitment that could not be honoured during Bishop Lubaale’s consecration and enthronement as the fourth Bishop of Busoga Diocese on December 14, 2025, at Bugembe Cathedral in Jinja City.
The ceremony was led by the Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, the Most Rev. Dr. Stephen Samuel Kaziimba Mugalu.
According to a statement from the Bishop’s Communications Department, the vehicle presentation was delayed due to Electoral Commission regulations that prohibit government donations during election campaign periods.
“While it is a practice that every consecrated and enthroned Bishop is given a vehicle by H.E. the President to facilitate his pastoral movements, this practice could not be fulfilled at the time because of the campaign season regulations that restrained the President from doing so,” the statement explained.
The handover comes six months after Bishop Lubaale took leadership of the diocese. The new Land Cruiser is expected to significantly enhance his mobility as he oversees the expansive Busoga Diocese, which covers 11 districts and hundreds of parishes stretching from Jinja to areas bordering Kenya and Lake Kyoga.
Church leaders emphasise that reliable transport is critical for pastoral visits, confirmations, ordinations, administration, and community outreach programmes.Speaking ahead of the ceremony, Bishop Lubaale expressed deep appreciation to the President.
“I am deeply grateful to H.E. the President for this generous gesture. This vehicle will not be for personal comfort, but a tool for ministry. It will help us reach the rural parishes, visit the sick, and stand with our people as we preach the gospel and promote development in Busoga,” he said.
The Church of Uganda has long partnered with the government in education, healthcare, and community development. Successive governments have supported bishops with vehicles as part of efforts to strengthen the Church’s role in public service and outreach.Vice President Jessica Alupo is expected to reaffirm the government’s commitment to collaboration with religious leaders during the handover.
“His Excellency the President values the role of the Church in nation-building. This vehicle is a symbol of that partnership and of the government’s appreciation for Bishop Lubaale’s leadership and service to the people of Busoga and Uganda at large,” she said.
Bishop Lubaale, an academic and theologian, is the fourth Bishop of Busoga Diocese since its creation from Namirembe Diocese in 1960. He succeeded Rt. Rev. Paul Moses Naimanhye.
