KAMPALA – A months-long standoff between the retired Archbishop of Church of Uganda, Stanley Ntagali and the archbishop of the Church of Uganda, the Most Rev. Stephen Samuel Kaziimba Mugalu has boiled over, with the Church suspending the former archbishop from performing priestly duties after getting involved in an extra-marital affair with a married woman.
Ntagali’s suspension is contained in a January 13 harsh letter by Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, the Most Rev. Stephen Samuel Kaziimba Mugalu to the Anglican Bishops under the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON).
Dr. Kaziimba described his predecessor’s sexual misconduct as a grievous betrayal on many levels and indicated that the retired Archbishop Ntagali had betrayed his Lord and Saviour, his wife and their marriage vows, as well as the faith of many Ugandans and global Christians who looked to him to live the faith he proclaimed.
“It is with a very heavy heart that I inform you that my predecessor, retired Archbishop Stanley Ntagali, has been involved in an extra-marital affair with a married woman, which he has acknowledged. This adultery is a grievous betrayal on many levels,” Dr. Kaziimba wrote, confirming he had suspended Ntagali from performing priestly duties.
“This is not a time for us to gossip. This is a time for repentance; a time for prayer; a time to examine our own sin and failings in humility; and a time to make all our relationships right before God. Please pray for the spouses in both relationships, for repentance and healing in those who have committed adultery, and for justice and forgiveness to flow throughout our land,” said Kaziimba, indicating that the Church is committed to transparency as well as pastoral care for those who have been affected by this situation.
Ntagali, 65, served as 8th Archbishop of the Church of Uganda and handed over office to Kaziimba on March 1, 2020 after clocking the retirement age.
While serving as Archbishop, Ntagali was also the Bishop of Kampala and earlier served as Bishop of Masindi-Kitara Diocese from 2004 to 2012.
Following Kaziimba’s letter, the Archbishop of the Anglican Church in North America, the Most Rev. Foley Beach who is the Chairperson of the GAFCON Primates Council issued a statement seen by The Observer regarding Ntagali’s suspension.
“As many of you have heard, the Church of Uganda has just shared that their recently retired archbishop, Stanley Ntagali, has admitted to having an affair. Stanley is a brother in Christ with whom I have appreciated working beside in years past, and it grieves me profoundly to hear of this moral failure. It is my prayer before the Lord that he will continue down the path of repentance and that the Lord will comfort all those impacted by this sin.”
He applauded the integrity with which Archbishop Kaziimba and the Ugandan House of Bishops have handled the matter.
“They have modeled Godly leadership and discipline for all of us in the GAFCON movement, please join me in keeping the whole Ugandan Church in your prayers,” Beach says.
