Diocese of Northern Uganda, Gulu celebrate Golden Jubilee, 26th November 2011

The Church today
An open air mission in the early years of Christianity in Acholi

The Diocese of Northern Uganda established in 1961 will celebrate her 50 years of existence; the celebration is combined with 107th anniversary of CMS missionary to Acholi land. This year big events will be held on the actual spot where the first missionaries planted the Cross (Musalaba). On 26th November 1904 the CMS mission station was established at Keyo and Bishop Alfred Tucker, Dr. and Mrs. Albert Cook, and Rev. AB Loyd were the key players. Later Rev. AE Pleydell and Rev AD. Kitching joined Loyd at Keyo. Keyo was selected by the missionaries because of its central locationl; the place is a few miles away from Sir Samuel Baker’s Fort of Patiko. The Shrine is almost completed. The Diocese is also celebrating 50 years of her existence since 1961 when the Diocese of the Upper Nile was subdivided into the Diocese of Mbale, Soroti and Northern Uganda.
In 2004 the Diocese celebrated her Centenary and Archbishop Henry Luke Orombi had this to Say” The celebration is also un usual and unique as it is taking place in Gulu where the armed rebellion by the Lord’s Resistance Army(LRA) has a devastating impact on the people of Acholi. The Situation is of ruins and desolation. It is painful and indeed it is un usual for the suffering people to Celebrate”
This year 2011 the story is different almost 99% of the people who had been in the camps have returned to their original villages and very busy rebuilding their lives. The area is very peaceful and free movement of people, animals as well as vehicles is visible even at night.
It is also a wonderful coincidence that the 7th Bishop of the Diocese has both his names having 7 letters each and is overseeing the 107 years of Christianity Celebration in Acholi land. See the miracle JOHNSON (7) GAKUMBA (7), SEVENTH BISHOP, 107TH YEARS. According to the Jew the letter 7 is a complete number.
The key activities will include: -
• Mass wedding, already over 45 couples have registered.
• Ordination of Deacons and Priests.
• Four deacons will be priested and these are: -Rev. Kevin Olweny currently a Chaplain at Awere Secondary School and Unyama National Teachers College, Rev. Zachariah Otto, a Chaplain of Keyo Secondary School, Rev. James Olara Chaplain at Koch Goma Secondary School, and Rev. Samuel Kibwota, chaplain at Gulu Core Primary Teachers’ College.
• Those to be ordained deacons are Merilyn Wilson ( Lay Curate at Holy trinity Church Brompton London UK) and Nyeko Robert Luku( currently caretaker Agung Parish)
• A one week medical camp is also being organized, and Dr. Margaret Okello a consultant at Mulago Hospital, one of the first Acholi girls from keyo to have gone to the University is spearheading this.
• A one week door to door mission has been planned.
• Finally the official opening of the Shrine that has been built on the sport where the missionaries first preached the Gospel to the Acholi People.
Invitation has been extended to the President of Uganda His Excellency Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. All the Dioceses that were curved out of Northern Uganda like: - Diocese of Lango, Madi West Nile, Nebbi and Kitgum have also been invited to come for this celebration.
The Cultural and Political Leaders like the Kabaka of Buganda and Rwodi of Acholi had a zeal for what would bring change in the life of their people. Hence, they invited the Missionaries. We now have the challenge of keeping the fire of the Gospel burning even brighter.
The theme of the celebration is:”Arise and shine again”
You are all welcome to join us in the celebrations.

Set to be the United Nation Secretary General

Ocen Walter a Senior Four student at Gulu High School.

A Letter from Ocen Walter
I am very happy to communicate to you and I hope you are doing well still. I am Ocan Walter,one of the beneficiary of the Bristol Scholarship, I am from Odyak Village, Gulu District. I love my studies so much but I am facing difficulties in payment of fees because our fees is shillings 276,000 and you help is 170,000 Uganda shillings which is very good but I now face problem in clearing the remaining 106,000 balance because my parents now have nowhere to cultivate due to land disputes.
My good sponsor, I remain still a committed students, I attained 15 aggregates in our mock and was the best student, I do hope to get 8 for 8 aggregates in final exams. Hoping to join King’s College Budo because I would like to get government scholarship in A’ Level so I am herby begging with great hope that could you please meet the high fees of Budo King’s College for two years and enable me to get to University. My response towards your scholarship remain positive because my vision/dream is to become the future United Nation Secretary General so that many poor fellows in the World would get international Scholarship to study through me. I am determined to become! Yes I will through you taking me to Budo.
Finally my sponsor could you please help us by paying us in full so that we remain committed in our studies.

Bishop Gakumba “demystifies” Awere Hills

Climbing the hill

Bishop Johnson Baptizing on the Hill
UPDF Soldiers patrolling Awere Hills during the LRA war



Written by Acholi Times Correspondent

Monday, 26 September 2011 01:16
Gulu
The Anglican Gulu Bishop Johnson Gakumba last Sunday climbed Awere Hills and baptized four children as a way of demystifying Joseph Kony’s alleged spiritual powers.
It claimed the Lord’s Resistance Army rebel leader Gen Joseph Kony turned Awere Hills, located about 60km south-east of Gulu town along the Gulu-Moroto Road, an epicentre of his two-decade brutal war.
Furthermore, it is alleged Kony received instructions to start the war while atop Awere Hills and frequently visited the area to allegedly speak to his spirits on how to defeat the government forces and sustain the war.
The LRA rebel leader, who hails from Odek village in Awere sub-county in Omoro county; just a few meters from the Awere Hills, was also reportedly using the place for treating his fighters using water and herbs from the hills.
Bishop Gakumba on Sunday baptized four children- Jonhson Ouma, Geoffrey Kinyera, Francis Watmon, and Eunice Lakot on top of the hills, in what he said was a sign that the hills are no longer a source of fear and suffering.
Quoting from the Bible, the bishop said “the rock is God’s creation and He has given full authority for human beings to benefit from it.”
George Aligech Lapir, a resident of the area says that no one believed that the hills had some supernatural powers but they became famous when Kony launched his rebellion from the area in 1987. Lapir says apart from the Eastern side having foot marks, there is nothing peculiar about the 100m tall hills. He said that propaganda has tarnished the name of the area and that no God could have given Kony instructions on the Hill.
The top of the hills was left unattended throughout the two-decade war until late in 2009, when it became clear that Kony would not come back to the area to consult his alleged mediums.

Churches under construction

Pakwelo Church
Koro Church
Bungatira
Musalaba
As we draw nearer to 107 years of Christianity in Acholiland, a number of church building are coming up. On 26th November 2011 we will be celebrating 107 of arrival of Church Missionary Society (CMS) in this part of the World. A big event is underway and for the first time in many years the celebration will take place at the original site -Musalaba. A small but beautiful shrine is about to be completed. We will also have mass wedding, medical clinic, mission and ordination of deacons and priest.
We call upon you to join us during this year’s celebration.

Bishop warns of cyber criminals

Bishop Johnson , Picture by Rev.Willy Akena
Wednesday, 21st September, 2011




By Dennis Ojwee

The public has been cautioned against cyber criminals who hack into people’s email and create fake accounts to con them.

The warning was issued by the Bishop of Northern Uganda Diocese, Johnson Gakumba.

He was addressing journalists at the diocese’s headquarters in Gulu municipality on Monday.

“Cyber criminals have created a Facebook account using my name and photo. They send mails to con money from international organisations like in the US, claiming that I am the one asking for the money,” said Gakumba.

“Be aware that at the moment, I do not have a Facebook account to send mails or chat. If any one sends you an email with my name, just know those are cyber criminals,” Gakumba added.

The bishop’s remarks come after a cyber-criminal suspect identified as Charles Kinyera and his allies were arrested by the Police in Kampala. The suspects were reportedly sending mails and asking financial contributions using the bishop’s name.

Before his arrest, Kinyara had reportedly extorted over sh3m since September 2010, from several big international organisations based in the USA. Gakumba denied knowledge or relationship of Kinyara and said it is possible that the suspect was working with some malicious people.