By Frank Kamuntu
Kumi: The Church of Uganda as we report is to face court charges over their servant Rev. Charles Okunya Oode who had been elected the second Bishop of Kumi Diocese but later dropped without clear reasons according to him.
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It is reported that consecration and enthronement of Rev Oode into the above position was revoked after some Christians complained that he was not morally fit to be a Bishop after alleging that he had a second wife.
According to the Court clerk, Maureen Namata, “Rev Oode filed the suit on September 14 at the Kampala Civil Division, suing the registered trustees of the Church of Uganda and seeking an injunction to stop the election of another overseer until his suit is disposed of.”
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She said that in the suit it is indicated that Rev. Oode’s consecration was revoked by the Archbishop of Church of Uganda, The most Rev. Stephen Kazimba Mugalu on December 16th 2019.
In the suit, Oode said the revocation of his consecration tarnished his reputation and has caused economic loss, psychological torture and mental anguish.
According to Rev. Oode’s lawyer, Caleb Alaka, more than 7,500 Christians of Kumi Diocese led by Mr. Silvanus Isiagi, petitioned the archbishop demanding that the plaintiff be consecrated which was not responded to.
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In the petition, Mr Isaigi, said the election of the Rev. Oode as the Bishop of Kumi Diocese was first postponed as a result of some malicious allegations that led to a probe conducted by three bishops on January 20, as approved by the House of Bishops sitting at Boroboro in Lira.
He adds that the findings submitted to the House of Bishops in Mityana on February 2 exonerated Mr Oode and the petitioners demanded that a date be set for the ‘scientific’ consecration of the Bishop.
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“Your lord, this will bring to an end the impasse the diocese currently finds itself in and the baseless accusation detrimental to personalities of the church leadership, and the Anglican Church as a whole,” petitioned Mr Isaigi.
Now according to the suit filed, on December 16, 2019, the archbishop communicated to the Rev. Oode that there were complaints raised against him regarding his first relationship with one Dinah Amongin and that the couple had children for which the plaintiff was to respond to in writing.
The Rev. Oode said despite the defendant refusing to avail him with a copy of the complaints (by some concerned Christians), he made a response on the said allegations, adding that the same woman, and her father, Stephen Onyait, also wrote to the archbishop in respect to the allegations.
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Now Counsel Alaka said on September 1, the archbishop wrote to the plaintiff further requesting him to respond to the resolutions of the House of Bishops, stated in his letter dated February 5, addressed to the diocesan chancellor as to why his election was revoked.
“The bishop-elect has nothing to respond to since the House of Bishops already took a decision against him,” Mr Alaka said.
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One of Oode’s supporters, Samuel Odeke said, “We want him to become our next Bishop. His enemies are fighting hard to see that they fail him.”
But Samson Okello who is against the consecration said; “A true priest cannot go to court to sue the Church because he has been dropped from being made a Bishop. That is a sign of selfishness.”
