Rt Rev. Onesimus Asiimwe was on Sunday, March 12 consecrated as the 6th Bishop of North Kigezi Diocese at St. Emmanuel Cathedral Kinyasano in Rukungiri Municipality.
Preaching at the event, Dr Archbishop Church of Uganda Dr. Stephen Kaziimba called on the Church Leaders and entire Christians to commit themselves to a united prayer in order to overcome the challenges they are faced with.
The Archbishop quoted from the Book of James 5:16 and emphasized how God’s Word tells us to pray without ceasing and also 2 Chronicles 7:14, says God will hear our prayer and bestow his favors and blessings upon all people.
Archbishop Kaziimba urged the Church Leaders to engage in intensive evangelism and mission because the gospel is needed now more than ever before.
“The gospel is needed to bring healing, reconciliation and restoration of faith in one True God and his saving power,” he said.
Archbishop Kaziimba also expressed fear that materialism is increasing with aggressiveness to dilute the Gospel, but God’s Word will endure all seasons, and further asked church members to engage in meaningful income-generating projects for the sustainability of Church Ministry and programs.
He urged the Christians to utilize the available Church land well make sure that their income sustains the Diocese otherwise some organizations will utilize the vulnerability to exploit them.
At the same event, Archbishop Emeritus Henry Luke Orombi asked Asiimwe to create togetherness among Christians in the diocese through preaching the Gospel.
Orombi said that he got to know Bishop Asiimwe as a young man and saw in him a person passionate about evangelism and a rising star in him and he is now happy that the rising star has risen since his prophecy of him becoming a servant of God and a Bishop at most has come to pass.
Archbishop Emeritus Henry Luke Orombi preaches during the service
Orombi asked the new bishop to become a leader who has got followers because any leader without a following will find him alone and asked to touch the hearts of the young generation who are being swayed away from the doctrine of good upbringing.
“Some parents are absent and they have failed to do their responsibilities and Satan is stealing them for bad vices like homosexuality,” Orombi said.
In his Charge, Bishop Asiimwe paid glowing tribute to the former Bishops of North Kigezi Diocese whom he thanked for leaving a firm foundation from where he will start.
He said that he will use the time he will be the Bishop of North Kigezi Diocese to focus on evangelism with emphasis to expand the church both in numbers and infrastructure and also ensure promotion of family values.
“Prayer must be emphasised based on togetherness and unity…” Bishop Asiimwe said.
The Vice President of Uganda Rt Maj Jessica Alupo Epel who represented President Museveni at the event said that the Lord has chosen Bishop Onesimus Asiimwe to lead the people of North Kigezi to righteousness and thanked the House of Bishops for electing him.
Museveni in his message commended the Church of Uganda for its commitment to teaching the people on how they can improve their livelihoods and contribute to the development of the church and the country at large.
The President called on all the believers to support the new Bishop so that the Diocese can develop and thanked the caretaker Bishop Patrick Tugume Tusingwire for steering the Diocese following the death of the Late Bishop Magezi and hailed the Christians for their patience.
