Masindi Kitara Diocesan Bishop, Stanley Ntagali, is the new Archbishop of the Church of Uganda.
Bishop Ntagali was elected by the two thirds of the 35 bishops who have been on a weeklong retreat in Lweza, to elect the new church leader.
Ntagali is to be installed as Archbishop on December 16, 2012, taking over from His Grace Henry Luke Orombi who has been at helm since January 2004. Early this year, Archbishop Orombi announced that he was retiring two years early to concentrate on full time evangelism.
He was born in Ndorwa County in Kabale District in 1955, but shifted with his family to Wambabya Parish in Kizirafumbi Sub-county in Hoima District when he was 16 years old. In December 1974, at the age of 19, he became born again.
The Archbishop-elect began working as a teacher in Wambabya Primary School, and later spent two years as a missionary in Karamoja Diocese. He did his theological training at Bishop Tucker Theological College, St. Paul’s Theological College, Limuru, Kenya, and the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies in the United Kingdom.
After serving as a missionary in Karamoja Diocese, he served the remainder of his priestly ministry in various capacities in Bunyoro-Kitara Diocese until 2002, when he was appointed Provincial Secretary.
Announcing the election of Ntagali at the Archbishop’s Palace in Namirembe, Kampala, Right Reverend Nichodemus Okille, the Bishop of Bukedi diocese said 29 out of the 35 bishops that make up the House of Bishops were eligible for election.
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Bishop Okille is also the Dean of the Province of the Church of Uganda as the longest serving bishop in the church.
The other candidates included Bishop Nathan Kyamanywa of Bunyoro Kitara Diocese and Jopel Obetia of Madi Diocese.
Ironically, Archbishop-elect Ntagali was the first bishop consecrated by Orombi on December 19, 2004 shortly after taking over office as Archbishop earlier that year. Speaking after the Ntagali’s announcement on Friday, an excited Orombi said it was like the first-born son taking over from his father. The outgoing Archbishop thanked the bishops for their cooperation.
He described Ntagali as a capable candidate having worked in and managed Masindi Kitara diocese, a multi-ethnic area. The diocese has 58 ethnic groups including Banyoro, Bakiga, Bagungu, and Alur among others.
Ntagali said he is humbled by the trust adding that he will be a team leader. He noted that he expects all the bishops to be members of the team.
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Ntagali becomes the 8th leader of the Anglican Church in Uganda, after Leslie Brown, Eric Sabiiti, Janan Luwum, Silvanus Wani, Yona Okoth, Livingstone Mpalanyi Nkoyoyo and Henry Luke Orombi.
