Pastor Patience Kokundeka Museveni Rwabwogo,
daughter of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, has been consecrated as an
Episcopal Bishop of Covenant Nations Church in Uganda and beyond, 20
years after founding the ministry as a small house fellowship.
Rwabwogo was consecrated on Monday during celebrations marking two decades of Covenant Nations Church at Covenant Hill in Maya.
The
ceremony was led by Bishop Dr. LaDonna Osborn, the Chief Consecrator,
who presided over the consecration and presented Rwabwogo with her
certificate and Bible. Archbishop Moses Odongo and Bishop Joshua Lwere
served as co-consecrators.
Church leaders at
the ceremony described Rwabwogo’s elevation as a significant milestone
in Uganda’s Christian history, with her becoming the first woman to be
ordained as a bishop in Uganda.
The ceremony brought together senior Christian leaders, government officials, family members, believers and other guests.
Among
those in attendance were Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye and his wife,
Pastor (Mrs.) Folu Adeboye, global leaders of the Redeemed Christian
Church of God (RCCG). Adeboye, who was recognised for his role in
Rwabwogo’s spiritual journey, participated directly in the consecration
by leading the anointing with oil and prayers for the newly consecrated
bishop.
Presenting
Rwabwogo on behalf of the elders of Covenant Nations Church, Mrs. Allen
Kagina said her journey to the episcopal office had been shaped by two
decades of ministry, service, leadership and commitment to the Christian
faith.
Kagina said the elders had
considered Rwabwogo’s character, conduct, doctrine, leadership and
ministry before presenting her for consecration.
“Twenty
years ago, God planted within her heart a vision that began humbly as a
small house fellowship. What appeared small in the eyes of men carried
within it the seed of a much greater work,” Kagina said.
She
said the fellowship grew through prayer, obedience and perseverance
into Covenant Nations Church, which now serves believers seeking to live
out their faith in their families, professions, communities and the
nation.
According to Kagina, Rwabwogo’s
ministry has extended beyond spiritual teaching to areas including
leadership development, professional excellence, entrepreneurship,
economic empowerment and responsible stewardship.
“She has consistently proclaimed that the Gospel must transform the whole person,” she said.
Kagina
said Rwabwogo had also maintained a particular focus on young people,
students and young professionals, encouraging them to discover their
purpose, build their lives on the Word of God and use their education,
gifts and opportunities for the good of society.
Through
Bible teaching, mentorship, conferences, leadership seminars and
evangelistic missions, she said Rwabwogo had encouraged believers to
become witnesses of Christ in education, leadership, family life,
business, public service and national development.
She
also highlighted Rwabwogo’s efforts to promote unity among Christian
denominations, noting that she had worked with her husband, Odrek
Rwabwogo, to bring together Pentecostal pastors, Anglican bishops and
other Christian leaders for prayer, revival and evangelism.
Kagina
cited the Light Up Uganda for Jesus Gospel Convention as an example of
this effort, bringing together Christians and leaders from different
denominations to worship, pray and proclaim the Gospel.
The
elders described Rwabwogo’s consecration not as a personal promotion
but as a call to greater responsibility and service to God and the
Church.
President Museveni congratulated his
daughter on her consecration, describing the occasion as significant
both for the family and for the history of Christianity in Uganda.
The
President also thanked God for the recovery of his wife and commended
the medical personnel who cared for her, as well as his children for
supporting her during the period.
He then
reflected on the significance of Rwabwogo becoming a bishop, placing her
consecration within the broader history of Christianity in Uganda.
“Secondly,
I thank God for making Patience become a Bishop. We are the ancient
people of this area. We have been here for four and a half million
years,” he said.
Museveni recalled that
Muslims arrived in Uganda in 1841, followed by Anglicans in 1877 and
Catholics in 1879. He noted that several generations of his family lived
through those developments without joining the Church.
“My
great fathers were alive; they never joined the Church. My grandparents
were also alive; they never joined the Church. It was Mzee Kaguta who
joined the Church for the first time in 1947. But in all these years, I
had never even heard of a catechist. Today, I have a whole Bishop,” he
said.
The President also said Rwabwogo’s Bible studies had challenged some of his own understanding of Scripture.
“I
was not paying attention to Patience’s church things, but I had spent
12 years studying the Bible day by day from 1953. We would start the
whole book of Genesis, finish it, go to Exodus, finish it, then
Leviticus, Deuteronomy and the others. I thought I knew the Bible,” he
said.
Museveni
said he was surprised by some of the historical and biblical
perspectives he encountered in documents prepared by his daughter.
“I
was surprised when I learned from Patience about the descendants of Lot
and Esau, who were not Jews. I had never heard anyone talking about it.
But when I read Patience’s documents, they informed me about it. I
surrendered because she had read the Bible,” he said.
He said the new bishop would bring new energy to the Church and thanked Adeboye and Osborn for attending the ceremony.
Museveni
also challenged religious leaders to ensure that Christianity responds
to the practical needs of society, citing Jesus Christ’s example of
healing the sick, feeding the hungry and freeing people from bondage.
The President disclosed that he and his wife had given Rwabwogo 50 cows as part of their traditional family practice.
“In our traditional way, I gave Patience 50 cows, and the cows are from [my wife] and myself,” he said.
Bishop
Dr. LaDonna Osborn commended President Museveni and his family for
maintaining their faith despite their public responsibilities.
She
stressed the importance of unity within the Christian community, saying
Christians did not have to agree on every form or interpretation of
faith but should remain united through their common faith in God.
Osborn said the office of a bishop carries a responsibility to extend Christ’s ministry, promote justice and lift people up.
“A Bishop is supposed to lift people up and give them a new beginning,” she said.
She
challenged the Church to move beyond simply preserving institutions and
instead become an instrument for transforming society.
“The Church doesn’t need leaders who preserve the institutions, but one that heals nations,” she said.
Osborn urged Rwabwogo to embrace the responsibility entrusted to her and use her new position to extend the reach of the Gospel.
Odrek
Rwabwogo reflected on Uganda’s Christian history, saying his wife’s
consecration was part of a longer story of faith, revival and service.
He
traced the Christian revival in Ankole and recalled the contribution of
early converts, including Mariam Kakyibara, whom he described as the
first woman to be baptised in 1902.
He said the sacrifices of early Christians helped prepare the ground for the East African Christian revival.
“Today, the Lord has chosen our own Patience to be the first woman to be ordained Bishop in Uganda,” he said.
Rwabwogo
said the story demonstrated that God often chooses people whom society
may consider unlikely candidates to fulfil significant purposes.
He
said his wife’s calling came after years of quiet service and that her
new role would require her to shepherd, inspire and challenge the next
generation.
He warned against a generation
that places greater emphasis on intellectualism, political power and
material wealth than on faith and godliness.
“God is the God of history,” he said.
He also said Rwabwogo had influenced their family through her emphasis on repentance, love, discipline and careful speech.
The consecration included the laying on of hands, anointing with oil and prayers for the newly consecrated bishop.
Rwabwogo was also formally presented with key episcopal symbols representing aspects of her new office.
Apostle Alex Mitala presented the chemere, while Bishop Simon Peter Emiau presented the scarf, or tippet.
Archbishop Moses Odongo presented the cross, while Adeboye presented the ring.
Bishop Joshua Lwere presented the cope, while Osborn presented the mitre.
Adeboye also presented the staff, completing the presentation of the episcopal symbols.
The
ceremony marked the culmination of 20 years of Covenant Nations Church
ministry and the beginning of a new chapter in Rwabwogo’s service to the
Church.
From a small house fellowship two
decades ago to a wider ministry and now the episcopal office, church
leaders described her consecration as a call to greater responsibility
rather than prominence.
The ceremony was also attended by Vice
President Jessica Alupo, NRM First National Vice Chairperson Al-Hajji
Moses Kigongo, Cabinet ministers, religious and cultural leaders, family
members and other guests.
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