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Background Mityana Diocese is Located in the central part of Uganda just about 62 km from the Ugandan capital, Kampala and is made up of two districts, Mubende and Kiboga. It is 90% rural, with population of 900,000 of whom two-thirds are Christians with a growing Muslim community. The cultural and social atmosphere is very inclusive with an ecumenical spirit of welcome and integration of other tribes and ethnic groupings who come from other parts of Uganda to settle. They are initiated into the Kiganda culture which is the original social and anthropological nature of the region, and so the entire population of the diocese is heterogeneous with Luganda language as the main language of communication.
The Diocese Mityana Diocese is one of the 29 diocese that form the Province of the Anglican Church of Uganda created in 1977. It has 42 parishes with 470 congregational Churches administered as 5 Archdeaconaries. Numerically the Anglican Church has grown but now is seemingly losing its members to the growing Pentecostal church with their enthusiasm and healing ministry. In January 2002 Mityana Diocese witnessed the enthronement of its third Bishop, Dunstan Bukenya, following in the footsteps of the original founder Bishop Yokana Mukasa and Bishop Wilson Mutebi.
The Economic Situation The diocese and the entire population of Christians made substantial economic progress during the early years, but this trend was reversed in a drastic way by the civil wars of 1979 and 1980-86. During that dark period the Diocese lost much of its property and progress was set back. During the late 1980's and '90s there was some recovery but it was short-lived. The major challenge has been the collapse of the Coffee industry as a result of disease to the Coffee plants which was the main source of income for the people and the result is rampant poverty. The current economic situation in the diocese is precarious as it depends entirely on its Christian population for its own income and livelihood. This situation has greatly challenged Christians both spiritually and morally to the extent that there is now great need for revival and empowerment. |
