The Church of Uganda has elected two new bishops to lead Mbale and North West Ankole dioceses, choosing a senior cathedral cleric in eastern Uganda and a rector serving a Canadian church in a leadership transition that will take effect early next year.
The House of Bishops, meeting at Syamalede Archdeaconry headquarters in Busia District, Bukedi Diocese, on Friday, October 30, 2026, elected 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.
MBALE DIOCESE BISHOP ERIDAD MILTON SHISSA PROFILE
The elections were announced in a statement by the Provincial Secretary of the Church of Uganda, Rev. Canon Captain William Ongeng.
Shissa, who currently serves as Sub Dean of St Andrew’s Cathedral in Mbale, will succeed Bishop John Wilson Nandaah, the eighth Bishop of Mbale Diocese.
His consecration and enthronement are scheduled for Sunday, January 24, 2027, at St Andrew’s Cathedral, Mbale.
Born on September 30, 1968, Shissa became a born-again Christian on April 13, 1996. He was ordained in 1996 and priested in 1997.
Before taking up his current position at the cathedral, he served as Diocesan Secretary of Mbale Diocese, giving him experience in both the pastoral and administrative responsibilities of the church.
He is married to Beatrice Sarah Shissa, and they have children.
His election places him at the head of a diocese whose leadership he has served from within, first through its administration and now in a senior cathedral position.
NORTH WEST ANKOLE BISHOP CALEB TWINAMATSIKO PROFILE
Twinamatsiko’s election, meanwhile, brings a Ugandan cleric working in Canada into the leadership of North West Ankole Diocese.
He is currently the Rector of Christ Church Pennfield in the Diocese of Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada. He will succeed Bishop Amos Magezi, who has served as the first bishop of North West Ankole Diocese.
Twinamatsiko was born on April 16, 1969, in Kigando III, Ngango Ward, Igorora Town Council, Ibanda District.
He holds a Bachelor of Divinity from Uganda Christian University and is married to Hope Asiimwe, whom he married in 2000. They have two children.
His consecration and enthronement as the second Bishop of North West Ankole Diocese will take place on Sunday, February 7, 2027, at St Paul’s Cathedral in Ibanda.
The two elections mark an important moment for the Church of Uganda as the dioceses prepare to install new leaders who will oversee their spiritual, pastoral and administrative affairs.
For North West Ankole, Twinamatsiko will take over from the founding bishop, Magezi, while Mbale Diocese will begin a new chapter under Shissa following Nandaah’s tenure.
The consecration ceremonies in January and February 2027 will formally usher the two clerics into their respective episcopal offices.
You can read about the key things that retiring Archbishop Stephen Samuel Kaziimba Mugalu will be remembered for HERE.
