General Background:
Uganda, often referred to as the “Pearl of Africa” after the British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, referred to it as such, lies at the core of the Great Lakes region of East Africa. Spanning some 236,000 km2, Uganda sits Northwest of Lake Victoria and has a population of just over 30 million people. It has one of the fastest growing populations in the world and consequently has 50% of its people are under the age of 18. A landlocked country, Uganda shares its borders with 5 other countries – DR Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan and Tanzania.
Though Kampala, the capital city, is home to more than one million people, Uganda is largely a rural country with most of the people engaging in subsistence agriculture. Generally speaking Uganda has fertile soils, plenty of rainfall and is often more green than traditional pictures of East Africa.
Uganda has enjoyed political stability since Yoweri Museveni came to power in 1986. Prior to this, periods of institutional unrest eventually led to the most notorious time in Uganda’s history with civil war and internal power struggles. The infamously dictatorial regime of Idi Amin (1971-79) was responsible for the deaths of some 300,000 opponents; whilst guerrilla war and human rights abuses under Milton Obote (1980-85) claimed at least another 100,000 lives. Independence from the UK was granted on 9th October 1962.
Mission in Uganda: Challenges and Opportunities
The Church of Uganda acts as the main Global Partner working with CMS Ireland in Uganda. The second largest Anglican province in the world, with over 9 million members, the Church of Uganda is currently under the leadership of Archbishop Orombi.
As it attempts to bring transformation to the people of Uganda the Church faces significant challenges of working with limited resources amongst people deeply affected by poverty. Much of its work is work is with marginalised groups and those living with the reality of HIV/AIDS. It’s dealing with the legacy of conflict in the North of the country and working against a backdrop of significant growth in Islam in many areas. Into these situations our partners are looking to share the message and love of Christ by meeting people’s practical needs but keeping a core focus on evangelism and discipleship.
CMS has a long history of involvement with Uganda, dating back to the start of the 20th Century, which saw the arrival of pioneer CMS missionaries at Lake Victoria. CMS Ireland’s history in Uganda is long and varied and the Society has made many meaningful contributions to the growth of the church and its outreach there.
Today we are actively involved in supporting the local church as it carries out its part in God’s mission. We do this by partnering with four dioceses (Luwero, Ruwenzori, North Kigezi, Madi West Nile) and Uganda Christian University. We also have links in Namirembi diocese.
That work involves, among other things, evangelism and health care in Luwero, work with disadvantaged children in the South West, discipleship at Uganda Christian University and vocational training in Arua.
Currently CMS Ireland has 7 Mission Partners based in Uganda.
