The ordination and installation of Rt. Rev. Bonaventure Bosco Gubazire as the fifth Bishop of Kabale Diocese marked a major transition for the Catholic Church in Kigezi, bringing together thousands of Christians, clergy, government leaders and dignitaries at St Ignatius University Kabale (IGUKA).
The ceremony, was presided over by the Apostolic Nuncio to Uganda, Most Rev. Tomasz Grysa, and attended by senior Catholic leaders and government officials. Finance Minister Henry Musasizi represented President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni as chief guest, while Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa, Health Minister Chris Baryomunsi, Security Minister Jim Muhwezi and State Minister for Industry David Bahati were among the dignitaries present.
Bishop Gubazire succeeds Rt. Rev. Callist Rubaramira, who led Kabale Diocese for 23 years before retiring after reaching the canonical retirement age. The new bishop now takes charge of a diocese that covers Kabale, Kisoro, Rubanda, Rukiga, Rukungiri and Kanungu districts.
Museveni salutes Rubaramira
Delivering President Museveni’s message, Finance Minister Henry Musasizi conveyed the President’s appreciation to Bishop Emeritus Rubaramira for his long service to the Catholic Church and his contribution to the development of communities in Kigezi.
Musasizi said Museveni recognised the former bishop’s contribution not only to the spiritual growth of Christians but also to social and economic development.
The minister represented the President at the ceremony, where he also presented a brand-new Land Cruiser vehicle to Bishop Gubazire as a gift from Museveni.
The vehicle was handed over shortly after the ordination and installation, with Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa accompanying Musasizi. The presidential gift is intended to facilitate the new bishop in his pastoral duties as he begins his leadership of the diocese.
The presentation also echoed previous presidential gestures to church leaders in Kigezi. In 2022, State House handed over a new Toyota Land Cruiser to the Bishop of Kigezi Diocese, Rt. Rev. Gaddie Akanjuna, after an earlier vehicle was found unsuitable for the region’s mountainous terrain.
Rubaramira urges unity
In his remarks, Bishop Emeritus Rubaramira called upon Christians, clergy and other stakeholders in Kabale Diocese to give Bishop Gubazire their full cooperation as he assumes the responsibility of leading the Church.
Rubaramira urged the faithful to work closely with his successor to promote the development of the Church and improve the welfare of Christians throughout the diocese.
His message came as he formally handed over the pastoral responsibility of a diocese he led for more than two decades.
Rubaramira became Bishop of Kabale in 2003 and served until his retirement in July 2026. During his episcopate, the diocese expanded its parish network and developed institutions and income-generating initiatives aimed at strengthening its financial sustainability.
Among the initiatives associated with his tenure were the Bishop’s Annual Appeal Fund, St Ignatius University Kabale and Radio Maria Kabale. The diocese also expanded the number of parishes from 28 to 43, bringing Catholic services closer to Christians in different communities.
Rubaramira also oversaw the ordination of more than 200 priests and strengthened Small Christian Communities, while the Rushoroza Cathedral was renovated during his tenure.
His call for Christians to support the new bishop therefore underscored the importance of continuity as Kabale Diocese enters a new chapter.
Gubazire takes the mantle
Bishop Gubazire, a member of the Missionaries of Africa, becomes the fifth bishop of Kabale Diocese since its establishment in 1966.
Born on March 3, 1974, in Kitumba, Kabale, Gubazire is the second-born in a family of seven children. He attended St Mary’s Rushoroza Boys Primary School before joining St Paul’s Seminary Rushoroza.
He later studied philosophy at the Philosophy Centre in Jinja and theology at the Institute Catholique de Toulouse in France. He subsequently obtained a master’s degree in philosophy from the Milltown Institute of Philosophy in Dublin, Ireland, and a doctorate in philosophy from the University of San Carlos in Cebu, Philippines, which he completed in 2020.
Gubazire was ordained a priest on August 10, 2003, by Bishop Rubaramira at Rushoroza Cathedral.
His priestly ministry has taken him to several countries, including Mozambique, France, Malawi, the Philippines and Ghana, where he served in pastoral, academic and formation roles.
Before his appointment as Bishop of Kabale, he served as Dean of Studies at Spiritan University College in Ejisu, Ghana, and later as Rector of St Martin of Tours Formation House. He also served on the Provincial Council of the Missionaries of Africa’s Ghana-Nigeria Province.
His appointment was announced on July 15, 2026, following Pope Leo XIV’s acceptance of Rubaramira’s resignation. The new bishop’s installation therefore brings to an end the transitional period during which Rubaramira served as Apostolic Administrator.
A new chapter for Kabale Church
The installation was held at the spacious St Ignatius University grounds because the diocese expected a large turnout of Christians and guests. Diocesan officials had estimated that about 20,000 people could attend the historic occasion.
The presence of the Apostolic Nuncio, senior bishops, priests, government leaders and Christians from across Uganda underlined the significance attached to the installation.
For the Catholic faithful in Kigezi, the ceremony represented both a farewell to a bishop whose 23-year tenure shaped the diocese and the beginning of a new era under Gubazire.
The new bishop inherits a diocese with established educational, media, pastoral and development institutions, but also the responsibility of responding to the changing needs of its faithful.
His background in missionary work, priestly formation, philosophy and pastoral ministry is expected to inform his approach as he begins his episcopal ministry.
The occasion also provided an opportunity for the Church and government to reaffirm their interest in working together for the welfare of communities.
For Bishop Emeritus Rubaramira, the message was one of continuity, unity and cooperation. For Gubazire, the installation marked the beginning of the responsibility of shepherding one of Uganda’s established Catholic dioceses.
As the new Bishop of Kabale, Gubazire now faces the task of building on the foundations laid by his predecessors while shaping his own pastoral legacy among Christians across the six districts served by the diocese
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