The High court in Kampala has ruled that the Arch-Bishop of Church of Uganda Stanley Natagali lawfully took over the Episcopal jurisdiction of West Ankole Diocese.
Justice Lydia Mugambe says that Ntagali is empowered to take over any vacant diocese until a new Bishop is appointed and consecrated.
The judge then dismissed a case where eleven canons had sued Archbishop Ntagali accusing him of abusing his Episcopical powers to appoint an eight member commissary committee to run the affairs of West Ankole Diocese upon the retirement of Bishop Yoana Katonene on 3rd/October 2016.
The Canons had contended that as Synod Members, they had put in place a committee responsible for appointing a new West Ankole Diocese Bishop.
However Justice Mugambe noted that in the absence of a new Bishop to whom the retired Bishop Katonene would hand over, the administrative powers automatically reverted to the Arch Bishop who in the turn appointed a commissary to help with the pastoral care and discipline of the diocese.
