THE LATE BISHOP KAMANYIRE WAS A PARENT TO ALL

The fallen former Bishop of Ruwenzori diocese Eustace Kamanyire Amooti was a parent and a selfless man of God.

According to the Bishop of the South Rwenzori diocese in Kasese Jackson Thembo Nzerebende, the demise of Kamanyire poses a great loss of role model to most of the priests in Kasese especially those who served under him as a Bishop.

Retired Bishop Kamanyire passed on last week succumbing to a stroke that had kept him bedridden since the start of October.

Bishop Nzerebende remembers, Kamanyire as a man who first worked in Kasese as an employee in the fish processing industry at Katwe-Kabatoro town council and as a Kilembe Mines lay leader before raising to become a priest and later on a bishop.

He ordained Bishop Nzerebende a deacon in November 1983 before the creation of the South Rwenzori diocese. He knows him as a man who was never concerned with the tribal differences between the Bakonzo and Batooro because he adopted a Mukonzo boy then by the names of Alfred Sibende who later became a priest.

He also remembers the late Bishop Kamanyire for leading him in a retreat towards his consecration as Bishop in 2004 when he advised him that a church leader preaches the gospel as it is so that many people come to God.

It is remembered that during his pastoral visits to confirm Christians in Kasese area, Bishop Kamanyire and his late wife Irene Kamanyire encountered a strange situation when they laid for them a bed made of dry banana leaves. Those close to him say, such memories kept on his mind as he used to lament.

Other memories are about Bishop Kamanyire being part of the team of religious leaders who welcomed the Omusinga Charles Wesley Mumbere Iremangoma at Nsenyi when he denounced fighting using arms and slopped down in 1982.

One of the first deacons to be ordained by Bishop Kamanyire in 1981 is the sub-dean of the St. Pauls Cathedral in Kasese, Rev. Can. Cornelius Maate who describes the deceased as a strong man who could not be intimidated by any situation. He remembers when there emerged a remolding committee that wanted to over throw the bishop in disguise of making changes in the diocese but the late Kamanyire persisted and carried on the work of God.   

Jackson Buseku, a Christian who was confirmed by Bishop Kamanyire in 1982 says that he was a respected man who was feared by everyone whenever he could give the confirmation exam. He says Bishop Kamanyire was a good preacher.

Bishop Kamanyire’s remains will be laid to rest this afternoon in Fort Portal town where Bishop Nzerebende is to represent the Archbishop of Uganda Stanley Ntangali who is out of the country.