GULU: Rev. Geoffrey Loum was on Sunday, November 21, 2021, consecrated as the Bishop of the Diocese of Northern Uganda two days after a petition seeking to stop the exercise was withdrawn from the High Court.
The Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, the most Rev Stephen Kazimba Mugalu presided over the consecration of Rev. Loum at St. Phillip`s Cathedral in Gulu City.
Also, in attendance as Chief Justice Owiny Dollo, NRM Secretary General Richard Toodwong, DP President Norbert Mao, and Archbishop Emeritus Henry Luke Orombi, among others.
The main preacher, Orombi asked the new Bishop to be a shepherd to all regardless of religious affiliations.
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On October 19, 2021, two Christians, Tom Mboya Okecho and Emmanuel Omwony through their lawyers Waymo Advocates filed a suit at Gulu High Court seeking a permanent injunction on Rev. Loum`s consecration, citing irregularities and violation of the canon laws.
The plaintiffs dragged the Church of Uganda to court alongside other defendants that included the Registered Trustees of the Diocese of Northern Uganda, Registered Trustees of the Church of Uganda, Archbishop Kaziimba, Francis Gimara, and Rev Loum.
They also argued that the failure by the Registered Trustees of the Province of Church of Uganda and the Archbishop to cancel and nullify the illegal appointment of Rev Loum as the Bishop of Northern Uganda Diocese amounts to a breach of duty and failure to perform functions imposed on the Archbishop by the Constitution of the Province of the Church of Uganda.
Further, they wanted a court order to nullify and set aside the appointment of Rev Loum as the Bishop-elect of the Diocese of Northern Uganda, causing the trustees to cause the appointment of an appropriate and legally constituted nominations committee for the selection and appointment of the Bishop.
They also wanted a permanent injunction issued against defendants from declaring and consecrating or enthroning Rev Geoffrey Loum as the Bishop of the Diocese of Northern Uganda.
This had placed the consecration and enthronement of the Bishop at stake until the intervention of leaders from the Acholi Sub Region led by Chief Justice Owiny Dollo, seeking the appellants to withdraw the petition against the defendants.
Consequently, on Friday, November 18, 2021, the Principal Judge Dr. Justice Flavian Zeija issued a notice of withdrawal of suit by consent of the parties and their respective advocates.
The notice further indicated that the Chief Justice of Uganda shall continue with the mediation process to ensure reconciliation of all the parties.
Rev. Loum was elected by the House of Bishops that sat at Lweza Training and Conference Centre in Entebbe on August 12.
