The Bishop of Mityana Diocese, Rt. Rev. Dr. James Bukomeko Ssalongo, has called on church leaders under the Church of Uganda to take a leading role in planting trees on church-owned land as a way of combating land grabbing, deforestation, and the escalating effects of climate change.
Speaking during a tree-planting exercise held at Namukozi, Bishop Bukomeko emphasised that the environment is changing rapidly and urged Christians to take practical steps toward environmental restoration.
“The world has changed greatly, and we are witnessing rising heat levels and environmental destruction. As a Church, we must act responsibly by planting trees to protect God’s creation and prevent our land from being encroached on,” Bishop Bukomeko noted.
The bishop explained that the initiative is part of the Diocese’s environmental conservation campaign and preparation activities leading up to the celebration of 48 years of the Diocese’s existence, scheduled to take place on 1st/11/2025
During the exercise, participants planted several tree species, including mango, avocado, and calliandra, as a symbol of the Church’s commitment to restoring nature.
The campaign was spearheaded by staff from Equity Bank, Mityana Branch, who partnered with the diocese in this environmental initiative.
Chance Kenneth, the Manager of Equity Bank Mityana Branch, said their involvement in the tree-planting drive reflects the bank’s commitment to environmental conservation and corporate social responsibility.“We have seen how deforestation has destroyed our environment.
This exercise is part of our effort to restore nature and encourage communities to adopt sustainable practices instead of cutting down trees for charcoal burning and brick-making,” Kenneth noted.
Evangelists and clergy who took part in the event pledged to expand the campaign to other areas across the Mityana Diocese, saying that continuous tree planting is the only way to safeguard the environment for future generations.
“We shall take this campaign to every parish and encourage Christians to plant trees around their homes and churches. Protecting nature is a form of worship,” said one of the evangelists.
The tree-planting initiative marks a renewed effort by the Church of Uganda in Mityana to combine faith and environmental stewardship, promoting both spiritual and ecological renewal in the community.