New leadership announced
The Church of Uganda has elected two senior clergy members to lead the Mbale and North West Ankole dioceses, setting the stage for leadership changes in the two religious jurisdictions early next year.
The House of Bishops selected The Very Rev. Canon Eridad Milton Shissa as the ninth bishop of Mbale Diocese and Rev. Canon Caleb Twinamatsiko as the second bishop of North West Ankole Diocese. The decisions were taken during a meeting at the Syamalede Archdeaconry Headquarters in Busia District, within Bukedi Diocese.
The outcome was announced by the Provincial Secretary after the bishops’ meeting concluded. The appointments will become formal through consecration and enthronement ceremonies scheduled for January and February 2027.
Mbale succession planned for January
Shissa is currently serving as the Sub-Dean of St Andrew’s Cathedral in Mbale. Before taking up that position, he served as the Diocesan Secretary of Mbale Diocese, giving him experience in both cathedral ministry and diocesan administration.
He was born on 30 September 1968. The Church of Uganda records that he became a born-again Christian in 1996, was ordained in the same year and became a priest in 1997.
Shissa is married to Beatrice Sarah Shissa, and they have children. His installation as the new diocesan bishop is scheduled to take place at St Andrew’s Cathedral in Mbale on 24 January 2027.
He will succeed Bishop John Wilson Nandaah, who has served as the eighth bishop of Mbale Diocese. The handover will place Shissa at the centre of the diocese’s pastoral and administrative leadership as the church prepares for the next phase of its work in the area.
Twinamatsiko to lead North West Ankole
Twinamatsiko has been selected to become the second bishop of North West Ankole Diocese. He currently serves as the Rector of Christ Church Pennfield in the Diocese of Fredericton in New Brunswick, Canada.
His appointment brings international ministry experience to a diocese that is preparing for its second episcopal leadership transition. The source material does not state how long he has served in Canada, but records that he holds a Bachelor of Divinity from Uganda Christian University.
Twinamatsiko was born on 16 April 1969 in Kigando III, Ngango Ward, in Igorora Town Council, Ibanda District. He has been married to Hope Asiimwe since 2000, and they have two children.
His consecration and enthronement will be held at St Paul’s Cathedral in Ibanda on 7 February 2027. He will succeed Bishop Amos Magezi, the first diocesan bishop of North West Ankole Diocese.
Key dates and leadership changes
| Diocese | Bishop-elect | Scheduled ceremony | Predecessor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mbale | Eridad Milton Shissa | 24 January 2027 | John Wilson Nandaah |
| North West Ankole | Caleb Twinamatsiko | 7 February 2027 | Amos Magezi |
The two appointments represent separate succession processes within the Church of Uganda. Mbale Diocese is preparing for its ninth bishop, while North West Ankole Diocese is moving to its second diocesan bishop since its establishment.
For church members, the ceremonies will mark more than the appointment of new office-bearers. Consecration and enthronement formally establish the incoming bishops in their diocesan roles and provide the institutional point at which responsibility passes from the outgoing leadership.
The available information does not set out the new bishops’ priorities or provide details of planned programmes for either diocese. It does, however, identify their backgrounds and previous responsibilities, including Shissa’s work in Mbale and Twinamatsiko’s ministry in Canada.
The confirmed details are:
- Shissa will lead Mbale Diocese as its ninth bishop.
- Twinamatsiko will become the second bishop of North West Ankole Diocese.
- The ceremonies are scheduled for 24 January and 7 February 2027.
- Both appointments follow the retirement or departure of existing diocesan leadership identified by the Church of Uganda.
The elections were conducted by the Church of Uganda’s House of Bishops during its meeting in Busia District. With the dates now announced, the two dioceses will proceed towards their respective ceremonies and the formal beginning of the bishops’ terms.
