According to Mr. Anthon Mula, the Director General of the Busoga Consortium for Development (BCD), each faith under the Inter-Religious Council will lead prayers on a designated date during the week. These include Anglicans, Catholics, Muslims, Orthodox, Seventh Day Adventists, and Pentecostals.
In a media release disseminated by the BCD on Monday, October 7, 2024, Mr. Mula stated, “Arising from the meetings of the Busoga Inter-Religious Council held under the coordination of the Busoga Consortium for Development (BCD) on 2nd and 7th October 2024, I am pleased to announce and confirm that the 2024 Busoga Prayer Week has been confirmed for 14th to 20th October 2024.”
The Director General announced that the Rt. Rev. Paul Hannington Suubi, the Bishop of East Busoga Diocese, was unanimously chosen to preside over the Main Regional Prayer Assembly on Sunday, October 20, 2024, at Luuka District Ceremonial Grounds as the main preacher.
According to the plan, on Monday, October 14, 2024, the Basoga living in Kampala and surrounding areas will gather at St. Andrew’s Church, Bukoto, to kick off the prayers, which are anticipated to be led by Rev. Canon Dr. Lubale Grace, Chaplain of Christians of Busoga Diocese in Kampala. Owek. Dr. Muvawala Joseph, Prime Minister of Busoga Kingdom and Executive Director of the National Planning Authority, will be the guest of honour.
On Tuesday, October 15, 2024, at 4:00 pm, the Anglican Church will lead regional prayers at St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Waluwerere, Bugiri District. First Deputy Prime Minister Rebecca A. Kadaga, who is also the Minister of East African Community Affairs and Patron of BCD, will grace the event.
The Catholic Church will organize prayers on Wednesday at St. Joseph’s Cathedral, Lubaga Hill, Jinja City, while the Orthodox Church will lead regional prayers at Holy Resurrection Cathedral, Jinja Central, along Gokhale Road West.
The Muslim Faith, Orthodox Church, and Seventh Day Adventists will also organize regional prayers on respective dates, leading up to the main event on Sunday, October 20, 2024, which is anticipated to be graced by President Yoweri Museveni.
“While the main prayer celebrations will be conducted at selected places as per the released schedule, we encourage the people of God who are not able to access the main celebration areas to gather at their respective local places of worship to pray for Busoga, especially on your designated days of prayer,” Mula said.
The 2024 Busoga Prayer Week is intended to celebrate and thank God for how far He has brought Busoga, while remembering the significant achievements registered and challenges overcome during the previous financial year. It also aims to dedicate the regional plans for the socioeconomic transformation of Busoga to the Lord for His blessings.
The theme of the initiative is “Deepening Regional Cohesion as a Foundation for Sustainable Household Transformation.” The lead scripture is from 1 Corinthians 12:24-26: “While our presentable parts need no special treatment, God has put the body together, giving great honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.”
Mula revealed that “Prior to the commencement of the Prayer Week, a Special Annual Ministerial Dinner will be hosted by H.E. the Vice President of the Republic of Uganda in Jinja on Thursday, October 10, 2024, to enable leaders to reflect on the milestones achieved since the previous prayer week.”
Hon. Kisa Stephen Bakubalwayo, the Luuka South MP, is the Chairperson of the Central Organizing Committee (COC) for this year’s Busoga Prayer Week, while Dr. Muhammad Lubega Kisambira, the First Deputy Prime Minister of Busoga Kingdom, is the co-chair and advisor of the committee.
Mr. Mula further stated that, through consensus, each religious denomination has nominated one clergy member to form part of the Central Organizing Committee. At the district level, a Local Organizing Committee (LOC) has been constituted by the leadership of Luuka District to coordinate the preparations for hosting the main Regional Prayer Assembly.
