The Bishop of Muhabura Diocese, Rt Rev Godfrey Mbitse, has strongly condemned increasing cases of land grabbing targeting church property, calling on Christians and local communities to remain alert and protect religious land from illegal acquisition.
Bishop Mbitse made the remarks on Sunday while presiding over a church planting service at Bwera Church of Uganda, Gisorora Parish, Gisorora Archdeaconry, where he also formally received a land agreement donated by the family of retired secondary school head teacher John Gahuriro.
The agreement, endorsed by Gahuriro, his wife Norah, their children, and local authorities, was presented during celebrations marking their golden jubilee.
Speaking at the service, John Gahuriro said the decision to donate land was inspired by a pastoral visit years earlier by then Rev. Canon Mbitse, who had envisioned the establishment of a church in the area.
“When we celebrated our golden jubilee, my wife Norah and I reflected on how best to thank God with something lasting and spiritually impactful. We considered other options, such as donating cows, but recognized their short-term nature. We ultimately chose to donate our land in response to the vision of planting a church in our village,” he said.
During the same service, Bishop Mbitse baptized four children and commended the Gahuriro family for what he described as their unity and commitment to advancing the work of God, noting that giving reflects spiritual conviction rather than material abundance.
“Thanking God and giving does not mean that one is materially rich; rather, it reflects spiritual richness. Scripture calls upon us to give according to what we have, with willingness,” he said.
The Bishop also praised Rev. Canon Bahati Enock, Parish Priest of Gisorora Parish and Archdeacon of Gisorora Archdeaconry, for what he called dedication in advancing the church planting initiative originally conceived during his earlier tenure in the area.
“I thank Rev. Canon Bahati Enock for continuing and implementing the church planting plan we conceived when I served here. Many leaders abandon the ideas of their predecessors, but you have demonstrated exceptional commitment,” he said.
On behalf of the family, Kenneth Rwego, son of the Gahuriro family and Executive Director of Eden Mission, praised his parents for their faith and generosity, describing the donation as a legacy of service to God.
The family also pledged extensive support toward construction works, including full roofing of the church, funding of the building slab, provision of 200 bags of cement for the lay reader’s house, and 300 bags for the church structure, in addition to covering transportation costs for materials.
Associates of the family also committed to financing the full roofing of the church building.
During the event, Bishop Mbitse and Ms. Anna Mbitse donated Shs 500,000, while over Shs 4 million was raised in cash contributions and pledges exceeding Shs 32 million were recorded.
Rev. Canon Bahati announced additional parish contributions, including a Holy Table, two altar seats, and Shs 3 million toward the project.
The service also saw the introduction of Winnie Nkurikiy’Imana as the new church teacher at Bwera Church of Uganda, who immediately began her ministry with a healing and deliverance service following the main service.
