Lawyer Mpanga Challenges House of Bishops: Ignites Controversy over Nomination of Namirembe Bishop

Prominent Kampala lawyer and Namirembe Diocese Chancellor, Frederick Mpanga, has openly defied a directive from the House of Bishops. This directive was aimed at preventing him from organizing meetings for the nomination of the next Bishop of Namirembe.
The House of Bishops that sat on 4th October 2023 in Namirembe failed to pronounce itself on the new bishop of Namirembe Diocese following a loud outcry of a biased and unconventional process in which two names had been forwarded.

The House of Bishops, which holds significant authority within the Anglican Church of Uganda, had issued an order expressly forbidding Frederick Mpanga from convening such meetings. However, Mpanga's decision to disregard this directive has sparked a heated debate and raised questions about the authority and autonomy of the diocesan leadership. 

Frederick Mpanga, a well-known legal figure in Kampala and the Chancellor of Namirembe Diocese, has asserted his conviction that the process of nominating the Bishop of Namirembe should remain inclusive and open. In his view, it's essential to involve a broader spectrum of the diocesan community, not just the House of Bishops, in the selection of their spiritual leader.

Having invited the 13 member nominations committee for their first interface with investigations committee on 18th October 2023 vide a memo, our reporters have seen a message that the Chancellor of the Diocese, Lawyer Frederick Mpanga has also called for an urgent meeting with the nomination committee today the 16th of October at 3:00pm at Namirembe Guest House.

This meeting is meant to happen before the one convened by the investigations committee sanctioned by the House of Bishops.

After overseeing a fraudulent nomination process, the self-proclaimed chancellor's actions in convening parallel meetings seem not only unorthodox but also an attempt to intimidate committee members, rekindling the tension the House of Bishops had recently subdued.
Certain devoted members of the Namirembe Diocese are now raising questions about whether the Chancellor should continue in his role, given his involvement in the disputed bishop nomination process, or if he should step aside.