The appointment, announced by the Holy See on Tuesday, marks a leadership transition in the Catholic diocese following Bishop Rubaramira’s retirement in accordance with Canon Law, which requires bishops to submit their resignation upon attaining the age of 75.
Born on March 3, 1974, in Kitumba, Kabale Diocese, Bishop-elect Gubazire began his priestly formation at St Paul’s Minor Seminary in Rushoroza before pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Religious Studies at the Philosophy Centre in Jinja.
He later studied theology at the Institut Catholique de Toulouse in France before joining the Missionaries of Africa, commonly known as the White Fathers. He was ordained a priest on August 10, 2003.
After his ordination, Gubazire served as assistant parish priest at Nossa Senhora de Fatima Parish in Murraça, Mozambique, where he also directed adult education programmes in Murraça and Caia between 2004 and 2007.
During the same period, he served on the council of the Missionaries of Africa’s Mozambique section.
He later undertook formation training in France, specialising in the formation of formators and spiritual accompaniment, before pursuing a licentiate in philosophy at the Milltown Institute of Philosophy in Dublin, Ireland.
From 2010, Gubazire served in Malawi as a lecturer and dean of studies at the Lechaptois Formation House in Balaka. He also served as delegate for the protection of minors and later as interim rector of the formation house.
In 2014, he pursued biblical formation studies in Jerusalem before undertaking doctoral studies in philosophy at the University of San Carlos in Cebu, Philippines, where he obtained his doctorate in 2020.
While in the Philippines, he held several leadership positions, including coordinator and chaplain of the Friends of Missionaries of Africa, member of the Asia Section Council and rector of the Our Lady of Africa Formation House Seminary.
Since 2021, Bishop-elect Gubazire has served as dean of studies at Spiritan University College in Ejisu, Ghana. He was appointed rector of the St Martin of Tours Formation House in Ejisu in 2023 and has been a member of the Provincial Council of the Ghana-Nigeria Province of the Missionaries of Africa since 2025.
He succeeds Bishop Rubaramira, who has led Kabale Diocese for nearly two decades and is credited with strengthening pastoral work, education and healthcare ministries across the diocese.
The date for Bishop-elect Gubazire’s episcopal ordination and installation as the new Bishop of Kabale Diocese is expected to be announced by the diocese in the coming days.