Rt. Rev. Bonaventure Bosco Gubazire Ordained as 5th Bishop of Kabale Diocese
The Rt. Rev. Bonaventure Bosco Gubazire was ordained and installed as the fifth bishop of Kabale Diocese on October 3, 2026, succeeding the Rt. Rev. Callistus Rubaramira during a ceremony at the St. Ignatius University Kabale grounds, watchdoguganda.com reported.
Bishop Gubazire assumes leadership of the diocese following his appointment by Pope Leo XIV on July 15, 2026. He takes over from Bishop Rubaramira, who completed a 23-year tenure running from 2003 to 2026, according to watchdoguganda.com and nilepost.co.ug.
Ceremony at St. Ignatius University Grounds
Hundreds of Catholic faithful gathered at the St. Ignatius University grounds in Kabale Municipality on Saturday for the episcopal ordination, monitor.co.ug reported. The solemn ceremony was presided over by the outgoing bishop, Rt. Rev. Rubaramira, and witnessed by the Apostolic Nuncio to Uganda, Most Rev. Tomasz Grysa, along with members of the Episcopal Conference of Uganda.
During the service, Bishop Rubaramira advised his successor to remain grounded in humility. You have been elected to serve and respect the Christians in this diocese. Do not look at personal gains and always lower yourself while serving Christians,
Bishop Rubaramira said, as reported by monitor.co.ug. He also urged the new prelate to remember the poor, homeless, and needy.
In his maiden address, Bishop Gubazire expressed gratitude to Pope Francis for the appointment. I stand before you with a heart overflowing with joy and gratitude. I thank God, our heavenly Father, for choosing me as I am to serve as the bishop of Kabale Diocese and shepherd of His flock,
he stated, according to monitor.co.ug.
Bishop Gubazire Studied and Served in the Church
Born on March 3, 1974, in Kitumba Hiika, Rushoroza Cathedral Parish, to Vanansio Gubazire and Solome Bakeihahwenki, Bishop Gubazire attended St. Mary’s Boys Primary School in Rushoroza from 1981 to 1987, nilepost.co.ug reported. He then studied at St. Paul’s Minor Seminary in Rushoroza from 1988 to 1994 before joining the Missionaries of Africa, also known as the White Fathers, in 1994. He made his perpetual vows on December 7, 2002, and received ordination as a priest on August 10, 2003, at Rushoroza Cathedral from Bishop Rubaramira.
His academic credentials include a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Religious Studies from the Philosophy Centre Jinja (1997) and a Bachelor of Arts in Theology from the Institut Catholique de Toulouse in France (2003), according to nilepost.co.ug. He later earned a Master of Arts in Philosophy, majoring in Ethics, from the Milltown Institute of Philosophy in Dublin, Ireland (2010), a Diploma in ICT System Support from Andiamo Educational Institutions in Malawi (2013), and a Doctorate in Philosophy from the University of San Carlos in Cebu, Philippines (2020).
Over his career, Bishop Gubazire has held multiple pastoral and academic roles internationally. nilepost.co.ug noted that he served as assistant parish priest in Mozambique from 2003 to 2007, professor and dean of studies at Lechaptois Formation House in Malawi from 2010 to 2013, and acting rector there from 2013 to 2015. He also worked as a child protection delegate for the Missionaries of Africa in Malawi and served in formation houses in the Philippines and Ghana.
Government Officials Praise Partnership Between State and Church
Writing on watchdoguganda.com, Kiwala Caroline Tahir, Assistant Resident District Commissioner for Iganga District, praised President Yoweri Museveni and the NRM Government for upholding freedom of worship under the 1995 Constitution. Tahir noted that the attendance of thousands of pilgrims, supported by security and protocol provisions, demonstrated how the State and Church function as partners in national development.
President Museveni delivered a congratulatory message through the Minister of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development, Henry Musasizi, commending the Catholic Church for its partnership in social and economic transformation, monitor.co.ug reported. On behalf of the government, Musasizi presented a brand-new Toyota Land Cruiser to Bishop Gubazire to support his pastoral duties.
During the event, public health and welfare issues were also raised. Minister of Health Dr. Chris Baryomunsi highlighted that the HIV/AIDS prevalence rate in the Kigezi sub-region stands at 8 percent, which is higher than the national average of 5.9 percent, and appealed to religious leaders to assist in addressing the disease burden, according to monitor.co.ug.
The diocese spans the six districts of the Kigezi sub-region: Kabale, Rukiga, Rubanda, Kisoro, Kanungu, and Rukungiri. Financial contributions were presented during the ceremony, including Shs10 million delivered by Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa on behalf of Chief of Defence Forces Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, along with cash tokens of Shs100 million for Bishop Gubazire and Shs20 million for Bishop Rubaramira from the Central Organizing Committee, monitor.co.ug reported.
It is unclear which community health initiatives Bishop Gubazire’s administration will prioritize to address regional health challenges like the Kigezi HIV/AIDS prevalence rate as he begins his tenure.