President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has celebrated the consecration of his daughter, Patience, as a Bishop of Covenant Nations Churches in Uganda, describing the occasion as a significant milestone for the family and her two decades of Christian ministry.
Museveni said he and his wife, First Lady Janet Museveni, were delighted to witness the ceremony, which marked Patience’s elevation to the episcopate after 20 years of service in ministry.
“Today, Maama and I were very happy to witness the consecration of our daughter, Patience, as a Bishop of Covenant Nations Churches in Uganda after 20 years of ministry,” Museveni said.
The President used the occasion to thank God for the development and to congratulate his daughter upon taking on the new responsibility.
Museveni also expressed gratitude for his wife’s recovery, acknowledging the medical personnel who supported her as well as their children for standing with her during what he described as an important period for the family.
He specifically mentioned their children, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Natasha, Patience and Diana, for supporting their mother throughout her recovery.
“I thank God for Maama’s recovery and salute the medical staff, as well as our children, Muhoozi, Natasha, Patience and Diana, who stood with her throughout,” Museveni said.
The President linked Patience’s new position to the family’s long history and its connection to Christianity. He noted that although different religions had reached their area generations ago, his family’s formal association with the Church dates back to 1947, when his father, Mzee Kaguta, joined the Church.
Museveni said Patience’s consecration therefore represented a significant development in the family’s religious history.
“As I said, our family has been here for generations, and although the different religions came to our area many years ago, it was only in 1947 that Mzee Kaguta joined the Church. Today, I have a whole Bishop in the family,” he said.
The ceremony was also attended by prominent religious leaders, including Pastor Enoch Adeboye and Bishop LaDonna Osborn, whose presence Museveni said added significance to the occasion.
The President thanked the two religious leaders for joining the family and the wider Christian community to witness Patience’s consecration.
Beyond celebrating his daughter’s appointment, Museveni used the occasion to reflect on what he considers the practical responsibilities of Christian leaders and the Church.
He reminded religious leaders that Christianity should not only be about preaching and religious observance but should also address the challenges faced by ordinary people.
According to Museveni, the essence of Christianity includes helping the sick, feeding people who lack food and liberating those living under different forms of bondage.
“I also reminded religious leaders that the substance of Christianity is to heal the sick, feed the hungry and free those in bondage, as Jesus came to do,” he said.
His remarks placed emphasis on social responsibility and community service as key elements of Christian ministry. The President suggested that religious leadership should translate faith into practical interventions that improve people’s lives.
The consecration of Patience comes after two decades of ministry, marking a new chapter in her religious career as she assumes the responsibilities associated with serving as a Bishop.
Museveni concluded his message by congratulating his daughter and wishing her strength and wisdom as she begins her new assignment.
“I congratulate Bishop Patience and wish her strength and wisdom as she takes on this new responsibility,” he said.
The event brought together family members, religious leaders and other guests to celebrate Patience’s transition into episcopal leadership. For the Museveni family, the occasion also carried historical significance, coming nearly eight decades after Mzee Kaguta joined the Church in 1947.
Patience’s elevation now adds a Bishop to a family whose political and public profile has extended across several generations, while her 20 years of ministry provide the background to her new role within Covenant Nations Churches in Uganda.
