South Rwenzori Diocese was carved from Rwenzori Diocese on August 26, 1984 with Bishop Zebedee K. Masereka as the first Bishop.

The Anglican Church in Kasese is known to have started in the 1930s. In 1941 the first Anglican Parish in the present Kasese district was formed with Rev. Sezi Sabiti as the first Vicar. This was Bwera Parish which was curved from Rubona Parish in the present Rwenzori Diocese (Kabarole District).

Before the formation of Bwera Parish in 1941 people would go on foot from Bwera to Rubona for confirmation and marriage services. The Parish being the first of its kind in the present South Rwenzori Diocese, was beyond one man's administration. Bwera Parish by then covered the same area of the Diocese which we have today (Kasese District). At that time, the parish Priest was to go on foot through bushy paths. The Parish started with 36 congregations (churches) namely: Bwera, Kitholhu, Kibirigha, Karambi, Isango, Buhathiro, Kithobira, Kanyatsi, Bukangara, Kasingiri, Ihandiro, Bubothyo, Kighuthu, Ngunyu, Kabingo, Ibimbo, Ndongo, Buzira, Busalya, Kyabithondo, Kyondo, Kisinga, Katwe, Kibirigha (Kyalhumba), Mahango, Kyalhumba, Mbunga, Ngangyi, Kisebere, Buswagha, Burangwa, Kitabu, Nyamusule (Mahango), Mughete and Kangothe.

It is amazing to say that all the above mentioned churches had no trained Lay-reader. The first person to be commissioned as Layreader in the present South Rwenzori Diocese was Rev. Can. Ezra Kahindo in 1947. Bwera as a Parish was for over 20 years led by no Bakonzo and many congregations as outlined above living in the mountainous areas could not understand their language.

The first Mukonzo Priest was Rev. Yeremiya Kambere, ordained in 1963. He was later followed by Rev. Stephen Mukirania, Rev. Yohana Masereka, Rev. Can. Ezra Kahindo and Rev. Bamwite Tomas who were ordained in 1965.

Situational Background at the beginning of the Diocese

The prevailing situation at the start of the Diocese was very pathetic. It is amazing to say that the Bishop and the staff working with him at that time did their official duties in a boys quarter to the Diocesan Secretary's residence.

A number of Parish headquarter churches were roofed with grass and Parishes like Kogere had none. It was operating in a class room. Besides the Parish's infrastructure inadequacy, the socio-economic status of the Christians was overwhelmingly appalling. By 1984, safe water, health centres, market linkages and other basic services were inadequate. This situation unabatedly precipitated an apparent proliferation of a diversity of diseases and the social problems; hence aggravating the health status and quality of life of the people in the Diocese.

It was against the foregoing disappointing and deficient background that the Laity, Clergy and Bishops have been working with determination to spearhead the search for alternative ways of correcting the situation to normal and meaningful Christian life. It is also against this background that the Diocese has since 1986 intensified her relations with various developing organisations as a means of improving the socioeconomic status of the people and hence the growth of the Anglican Church in Kasese.

The Diocese has the highest fertility/population growth rate in Uganda, at 3.2%. 95% are peasants. They survive on subsistence farming. The main crops are cassava, bananas, Irish potatoes, beans, g-nuts, fruits and vegetables for food. Cash crops include coffee, cotton and vanilla was introduced in the 1990's.

The Diocese has over 150,000 professing Christians who are now confirmed into the Anglican faith. The District has a population of more than 700,000 people.

Achievements since the creation of the Diocese

  1. Church services are much nearer to the people than in the past.
  2. The Anglican Church has become more authentic than in the past through:
    • Introducing a Lhukonzo Bible, prayer book and hymn book.
    • 98% of the congregations dominated by Bakonzo are led by Bakonzo (indigenous people)
    • The Diocese currently has 80 ordained Clergy men and women and 286 Layreaders.
  3. The Clergy have had good training. By 1984, the Diocese had only one graduate. At present we have 12 graduates, of whom two have PhDs.
  4. The Diocese has achieved a high degree of Christian sensitization among the Parishioners for spiritual growth inter-alia, socio-economic growth.
  5. The Diocese is developing the biggest Cathedral in the Province of the Church of Uganda.
  6. The Diocese has 12 Health centres which include: 9 Health centre III, 2 Health centre IV and the biggest serving Hospital in the District.
  7. The Diocese has 120 primary schools, 6 established secondary school and a Nursing school.
  8. Water has been brought nearer to the people through gravity water scheme.
  9. Environmental conservation projects have been implemented and are still going on.
  10. To uplift the standards of business-talented people, the Diocese has developed a Credit and Savings Scheme.
  11. The Diocese is paying fees for over 3,000 children.
  12. To reach a wider area with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Diocese developed an FM Radio which is the only Church of Uganda Radio in the Province of the Church of Uganda.
  13. The Diocese has two commercial buildings in Kasese town. One is in use and the second building is at ring beam.
  14. We have the biggest Bishop's residence in the Province
  15. All Parish headquarters have Church buildings built in permanent materials

Challenges

The Major challenges include:
  1. HIV/AIDS: Due to HIV/AIDS, the following are physically seen among the communities;
    • There is an increasing number of orphans at a very first rate. Some have dropped out of school due to lack of home care and facilities.
    • Standards of living are getting poorer due to sickly individuals and continuous funerals in families. Traumatized families have no morale of vigorous work.
    • HIV/AIDS has killed strong, educated, diligent men and women who would be very resourceful to families and communities.
  2. It has been realized that 95% of the Church workers in South Rwenzori Diocese do not get their monthly pay. This is a dangerous situation which lead to poor recruitment of staff in the ordained ministry.
  3. Completion of the construction of the new Cathedral remains a challenge.