South Ankole Diocese is one of the 38 Dioceses in the province of the church of Uganda located in the South Western part of the Country. The Diocese has 10 Archdeaconaries, 62 Parishes, 283 Sub-Parishes.
Vision “THE DIOCESE THAT GLORIFIES GOD”
The Mission Statement: “DOING THE WORK OF HIM WHO SENT ME” John 14:12.
The church of the Province of Uganda is a member of the Anglican communion. The Church is commissioned to carry out Christ’s Mission of teaching, healing and nurturing people so that they may have abundant life and build evangelistic, loving, Caring, worshipping, peaceful and just community. The Church of Uganda is a Jesus-loving, Bible-believing, Spirit-filled Anglican Church engaged in the mission of Jesus Christ in today’s world.
South Ankole Diocese is one of the 37 Dioceses in the whole province. The Diocese was curved out of Ankole and West Ankole dioceses and its headquarters are at St. St. Mathew Church of Uganda Kyamate in Ntungamo District South Western Uganda. The Diocese serves 250 Sub Parishes, 54 Parishes, 9 Archdeaconries. The Entire Diocese covers about 2184sq km and with a population of 405600 of which More than 60% of these are Christians.
Background
The development of an idea of proposing a Diocesan center in Kajara and Rushenyi in West Ankole Diocese was an attempt to get services nearer to the people. With the creation of Ntungamo district in 1993, it became apparent that a communication barrier had been aggravated. Therefore Kyamate centre was seen as a suitable place where Christians would converge more easily and share spiritual and administrative guidance.
The church was continuing to grow in believers’ numbers especially the youth as a result of Mission and evangelism. Christians needed nearby services such as discipleship and teaching. Christians constituting the Archdeaconaries of Kitunga, Rugarama, Kibatsi, Bwongyera, Rubaare and Rukanda (West Ankole Diocese), Kyamate, Ruhaama and Rukoni (Ankole Diocese) by consensus expressed their need for the Church of Uganda to allow them have a Diocese. Following several meetings on the matter that began on 5th December 1998, Christians in in the above mentioned Archdeaconaries worked together towards the goal. The then Bishops, Rt. Rev. William Magambo of West Ankole Diocese and Rt. Rev. Elisha Kyamugambi of Ankole Diocese blessed the proposed Diocese. Preparations went on prayerfully and physically putting up the necessary structures that saw the Diocese ready by the end of 2011. The House of Bishops of the Church of the Province of Uganda sitting at Commonwealth Speke Resort Munyonyo, September 28, 2011 elected Rev. Canon Nathan Ahimbisibwe as the 1st Diocesan Bishop of the newly created South Ankole Diocese who was Consecrated and installed on 8th January 2012 in the presence of a Multitude.