ENTEBBE: President Yoweri Museveni has reiterated his commitment to supporting the developmental and humanitarian efforts of the Orthodox Church in Uganda.
The President was this afternoon meeting with a 22-member delegation of the Uganda Orthodox Church at State House Entebbe, where he welcomed Metropolitan Jeronymos Muzeeyi, the new Archbishop of the Metropolis of Kampala. Muzeeyi was recently appointed to replace Metropolitan Jonah Lwanga, who passed away in September 2021.
In an acting capacity until Muzeeyi was appointed, Metropolitan Jeronymos was introduced by Metropolitan Tillyrides Andreas Makarios, the Archbishop of Nairobi and Representative of the Patriarch of Alexandria, who replaced Lwanga in an acting capacity. Makarios urged President Museveni to support the new archbishop as he supported his predecessor.
Today I have the joy, on behalf of our Pope and Patriarch, to present to you the new Metropolitan of Kampala and all Uganda. He is an outstanding theologian and an accomplished canonist of the Church. “Metropolitan Makarios said. I am confident that with your support and that of the Orthodox fraternity of Uganda, His Eminence Jeronymos has the potential to steer his church to greater spiritual heights.”
He expressed gratitude for the reception and assistance accorded to him when he was sent as the caretaker of the archdiocese of Kampala following the repose of Lwanga and the generous hospitality during the visit of the Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, Theodore II. On his part, Muzeeyi thanked the President for his support of the Orthodox Church and its previous leaders and pledged to work with his government.
As we assume the leadership of the Uganda Orthodox Church, we commit to supporting and working with you and your government to improve the quality of life of all Ugandans and to supporting you in all your development programmes for the betterment of our country, Uganda. As a country, we shall continue to pray for your good health and long life so that as a country we may continue to reap the fruits of your good leadership, “Jeronymos Muzeeyi said.
For his part, Museveni welcomed the new bishop and pledged full support. “I am very happy to meet you and, definitely, we shall support you,” Museveni said. The President promised to mobilise more resources from his Orthodox friends in countries like Russia and Egypt, to boost the ongoing projects like the construction of the Uganda Orthodox Cathedral at Lubya Hill, in Rubaga Division, Kampala. In May 2019, President Museveni donated 300 million Uganda shillings towards the same project.
He also asked the Orthodox Church to identify Orthodox-founded educational institutions like primary schools, secondary and technical institutions, especially in areas where the government has no school, so that they can be supported as requested by the head of the development commission and head of the laity in the Uganda Orthodox Church, Theodore Ssekikubo.
The meeting was also attended by Metropolitan Innocentios Byakatonda, the Archbishop of Burundi and Rwanda, Bishop Silvestros Kisitu of the new Diocese of Jinja, and Bishop Nektarios Kabuye, the new Bishop of Gulu, among others. The installation ceremony of Muzeeyi is expected to take place this Sunday, February 20, 2022, at St. Nicholas Orthodox Cathedral, Namungoona, in Rubaga Division.
Muzeeyi was born on March 18, 1962, in Bulopa, Kamuli District, into an Orthodox family of Augustinos Kakombe and Agnes Biribawa. He is the firstborn of the four children of the couple.
