The archbishop, Dr Stephen Samuel Kaziimba Mugalu has said the church can only protect its land from land grabbers by putting it to use, encouraging dioceses to identify income generating activities that they can engage in and make their land productive.
He made the remarks as the Church of Uganda held 26th Provincial Assembly with focus on self-sustainability: The event took place last week.
He reaffirmed the Church’s commitment to focus on being a self-sustainable institution.
“South Ankole, West Buganda, Central Buganda, Sebei and Ankole are examples to emulate in coffee, banana, potato, cattle, poultry and fish farming. Every region is endowed differently in land, weather, soil and people, resources we can tap for sustainability of Church mission, “he said.
He noted that the government is willing to help them in development to put into use their land resources to protect it from grabbers and encroachers.
“Let us look for ways of utilizing it profitably. If you can set up guest houses and commercial buildings, do so; Ankole and Mukono are examples, “he said.
Kaziimba further called for Godly stewardship of Church resources and assets, especially land.
“The Church has lost substantial acres of land and properties due to sheer greed, personal negligence by us in our governance structures and we must find a solution or the future will judge us harshly. Issues of breaking up worship places like the Ndeeba Church scandal will forever be etched in our minds and indeed it revealed that something is wrong somewhere and we must act to rectify this, “said Kaziimba.
He said all Church of Uganda land is held in trust by the registered trustees of the Church of Uganda which is the legal entity.
“Otherwise, we may continue to lose land and other valuable assets if as dioceses we continue to disregard our own constitution and canons. How do we protect our land? By having it titled and registered appropriately, “he stated.
The 26th Provincial Assembly held under the theme, “United for Service and Growth” appointed Naboth Muhairwe (who was hitherto the Deputy Provincial Chancellor and Chancellor of the Diocese of Kampala) as the Provincial Chancellor replacing Canon Barnabas Tumusingize.
The same assembly re-elected John Tereraho as the Chairperson of the House of Laity and Rev Canon Geoffrey Byarugaba as the head of Clergy.
Johnson Gakumba, the retired Bishop of the Diocese of Northern Uganda and George Bagamuhunda, the retired Bishop of the Diocese of Kigezi were elected as representatives of retired Bishops in the House of Bishops and Provincial Assembly.
Five Bishops were elected as members of the Provincial Assembly Standing Committee (PASC) including Rt. Rev Prof. Alfred Olwa (Lango Diocese), Rt. Rev Henry Katumba Tamale (West Buganda Diocese), Rt Rev Johnson Twinomujuni (West Ankole Diocese), Rt Rev Paul Kiptoo Masaba (Sebei Diocese) and Rt Rev Dan Zoreka (Diocese of Kinkiizi).