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’Where there is a challenge, there is an advantage’ – Archbishop Mugalu

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(L-R)-The Vice Chancellor Dr. John Senyonyi, Chancellor Archbishop Stephen Kazimba Mugalu, at UCU.

After his enthronement as the 9th Archbishop of the Province of the Church of Uganda on March 1, 2020, Dr. Stephen Kazimba Mugalu became the Chancellor of Uganda Christian University (UCU) in line with the institution’s Charter. The Rt. Rev. Kazimba was officially inaugurated as UCU’S Chancellor on March 20, 2020. His leadership has been hindered by the Uganda government order closing academic institutions to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus. In this July 16 interview with John Semakula, the new Archbishop and UCU chancellor discussed challenges and opportunities for education, Christians and the church.

How long have you been connected with UCU?
I am an alumnus of Bishop Tucker Theological College, which trained me many years ago. When the University was beginning, and it was a transition from Bishop Tucker to Uganda Christian University, I was a student. I am grateful to God for how far He has taken us and for the way He has kept Bishop Tucker and UCU. And for all those who have been in leadership like the Archbishop Livingstone Mpalanyi Nkoyoyo, Henry Luke Orombi and Stanley Ntagali, my predecessor. These were Chancellors. But we have also had wonderful Vice-Chancellors like Prof. Stephen Noll, who was in charge when I was a student, and his successor, the Rev. Cannon Dr. John Senyonyi.

During your short tenure as Chancellor, can you summarize challenges?
Like any other university because of COVID-19, UCU is at the moment experiencing some challenges. After the government imposed a lockdown in March, the University was very ready to offer on-line exams, but because of one reason or the other, the government discouraged the exams that time. That is why I say it’s not only UCU, but also all the other universities because there are no students, and the income is not there.

Some are concerned that UCU’S Vice Chancellor of 10 years, John Senyonyi, is retiring on August 31 at this critical time. What are your thoughts?
What a challenge! But God’s ways are not ours. God’s ways of doing things are incomprehensible. But where there is a challenge, there is an advantage. I learnt this from a missionary called Hudson Taylor. He said: “Your setback can be a setup for your comeback.” So at the time I came as an Archbishop and Chancellor, immediately the country was locked down. But there are other things we are learning together during this critical time. I am so grateful that I was installed as the chancellor just a few days before the lockdown. We are also happy that we are going to have another Vice-Chancellor who is coming in office almost like myself when the country is still under the lockdown. Possibly by the time he comes, maybe there will be change. I am not sure, but we trust God for His leadership.

Dr. Stephen Kazimba Mugalu

What message do you have for Dr. Senyonyi, who is retiring?
He became the Vice-Chancellor when I had already left UCU as a student. But I first met him when he was working with the African Evangelist Enterprise, and he did great work. This is the Ministry that was started by the late Bishop Festo Kivengere, a powerful preacher of the Gospel and a teacher. Dr. Senyonyi, I can say, is the product of Bishop Kivengere and I am sure he would be happy to hear that because of his great heart of evangelism, he has reached out to many to ensure that there is transformation. When Dr. Senyonyi came to UCU from the African Evangelist Enterprise and joined as a chaplain, he found that being a university, there was a lot that was needed especially in the area of the chaplaincy. He is the one who put in place the structure we have in the chaplaincy. He ensured real worshiping among students during community hour fellowship. He is a man with a heart for the mission at the University and at all the campuses. In addition, I think because of his passion for the gospel, the University is the Center of Excellence in the Heart of Africa.

How has Dr. John Senyonyi’s spirituality impacted on the UCU community?
UCU is supposed to be the backbone that produces men and women who can bring about transformation in this country. That is the transformation I call conversion of the head, heart and the hands – the holistic and total transformation. When Dr. Senyonyi succeeded Prof. Stephen Noll, I think the later had done great work of mentoring him. You know what we are lacking in most of our institutions today is mentoring. Some people do good work, but mentoring others to succeed them is not something they prioritize. Some even look at their juniors or colleagues as threats because they think they will take over their offices, but one day they will retire. I am sure all we have achieved in the area of spirituality as UCU is linked to Dr. Senyonyi and Prof. Noll. This is definitely important to all of us because without total transformation, we are doing nothing. Actually when employers are looking for the best lawyers in Uganda, priority goes to the UCU Alumni. This is attributed to the total transformation of their heads and hearts. You can’t work well when the heart and mind are corrupted.

Any other attributes to Dr. Senyonyi?
Dr. Senyonyi encouraged all the workers at UCU to put their marriages right. I don’t know whether they were requested kindly or by force, but they ended up appreciating afterwards. But it started with him. I can’t imagine a University like UCU having immoral people, who are cohabiting. I think Dr. Senyonyi did a great work. Dr. Senyonyi also encouraged people to pursue further studies and now we have well equipped professors. So we are going to miss Dr. Senyonyi, but definitely his successor Dr. Aaron Mushengyezi will do a nice job. I want to end with one thing about Dr. Senyonyi. He is a man of integrity; he is committed to God and is a preacher of the Gospel. He accepted Christ long time ago, and I am happy that he is supported by his wife, Dr. Ruth Senyonyi, a professional counselor.  Ruth is a daughter of Bishop Misael Kawuma who confirmed me.  She has lived to the standard of a daughter of a bishop. She has supported Dr. Senyonyi. Dr. Senyonyi exhibited integrity while dealing with money; a University like UCU is not getting a lot from government. You hear corruption stories in other places. I can’t say that there are no problems at UCU, but they are normal abnormalities. I wish Dr. Senyonyi God’s blessings in his retirement and I wish the same to the incoming Vice Chancellor.

How do you compare UCU to other Universities in Uganda?
The University itself is admired by other universities in the area of spirituality. Once somebody is touched spiritually, other areas can follow very well. The areas are interwoven. In the other area of order, when you visit UCU, it’s well organized. I go to other campuses and say really? But at UCU, the compound, the buildings and all these other things reflect a wonderful Jesus.

And what does it mean to be a Chancellor of UCU?
It’s very important for everyone to know that this University was founded by the Province of the Church of Uganda. This was mainly to ensure that there is promotion of holistic ministry, which covers three areas of Jesus Christ: teaching, preaching and healing. And because of that, the Charter indicates that the Chancellor of this University must be the Archbishop and one of the roles of the Chancellor is to ensure that he presides over the graduations, and that the values of the Church in the areas of spirituality, and academics are maintained. The Chancellor is therefore the father figure of the University and ensures that all the interests of the founders, like the bishops, are observed.

The Church of Uganda came up with the UCU Sunday in September to promote and support UCU financially.  How do you feel about diocese support or lack of support?
Because this University is founded by the Anglican Church, definitely this is a child of the Church and like any other responsible parent, when you have a child you must ensure that you support him or her. And so the Provincial Assembly, which is the supreme body of the Church of Uganda, decided that at least the first Sunday of September would be a UCU Sunday. This is mainly to ensure that every Church in Uganda talks about UCU, and sensitizes the congregation about what the University offers. But also to have the offertory, thanksgiving go towards supporting UCU. That one was agreed upon and I want to ask all Christians and the clergy to ensure that we respect our own resolution. Those who have done it, very well, we are so grateful, but those who are not yet on board, we need to encourage them. But definitely, this has just started. We want to invite the bishops, all God’s people.  Let me also make this very clear, the UCU Sunday is not about money. It’s about making UCU known allover Uganda and outside. This is the Sunday we need to use to mobilize for students, and talk about the contribution of UCU to the community.

As the Chancellor, how do you intend to help UCU raise operational funds?
If we are to raise funds for the University, we must begin with me and you reading this story. It’s our responsibility. The way to raise resources is also to mobilize students to come and pay school fees. That is very important. But since this is a private University, we need a lot more resources. I want also to appeal to the government of Uganda to support these private Universities because the students we educate are not private. They are government students and once they graduate, they serve the government. One way of government supporting these Universities is to waive the taxes or remove them on some of the things they use.

Any appeal to UCU Partners and donors, who have done a credible job already?
I want to appreciate the donor communities for the way they support the University and I would like to further call upon our partners, the UCU friends. I know that there is donor fatigue, but I appreciate you so much the way you support us. We are also aware that there are those who do not know how to support us. Please you can do it in any way. You can connect us to someone who can donate a gift to the university. You can support us by giving us scholarships to equip our professors with Masters and PhDs. You can give partial scholarships or help our students who want to study abroad. By doing so you are supporting the University. And lastly, praying for the University. But as you know, prayer goes with actions. Faith without action is nothing, says St. James.

Why should someone study from UCU?
Outside all the other reasons that I have already given, I and all the other bishops in Uganda plus many prominent Ugandans are products of UCU. UCU has wonderful professors. I am inviting students to apply for any course they want, let it be education, law or mass communication, you will be blessed by studying at UCU. We embraced e-learning already before COVID-19, and it’s the way to go so join UCU.

How are you helping to ensure that the Churches that have been closed since March 23 in Uganda due to the coronavirus pandemic are reopened?
I don’t agree that the Churches have been closed since March. It’s the buildings that have been closed. Actually we have many Churches that have been opened during this period. I minister every Sunday to over 10,000 people using live streaming and television and this is the way to go. But sure, we are lacking fellowship, because I preach to many people, I don’t see them. But we have collaborated with other religious leaders to come up with a strategy called spiritual standard operation procedures, which we have submitted to the COVID-19 national task force to study. In the strategy, we have indicated that whoever will come to Church must have a mask. We have ushers to ensure that it’s done. Whoever doesn’t have a mask will not be allowed in Church. So we are organized. We shall also have sanitizers at every Church. And everyone entering Church will be required to wash their hands. In between the services, we shall have to spray before another begins. For the offertory, there will be a stick used to hold the bag where money is put. On the number of services, where we have been having three, we can have five or even six to ensure physical distancing. We are more ready and it will be a matter of sensitizing people. If we tell the flock to sit, it does, and to stand, it does which no politician can do. And we have divine authority.

Some pastors have called for protests against the continued closure of Churches?
We are not supporting things like demonstrations and protests, we are peaceful people and we encourage dialogue. COVID-19 is there and we are aware and what we have proposed in the strategy is to help government to know that we are ready to cooperate because you can’t close Churches and open Kikubo one of the busiest places in the city center. We are more organized than the traders in Kikuboand in the shopping malls and arcades.

How is the Church caring for retired bishops under COVID-19?
Definitely, it’s a very big challenge. The Province has always catered for retired bishops through their dioceses. But due to COVID-19, there some dioceses that have no means of income to ensure that they care for the incumbents and those who retired. It’s a challenge I now have as the Archbishop to ensure that we come up with the income generating activities to address this. And the Church must realize that the old tools can’t solve the new challenges. We must do business, do farming, plant trees and this must apply even to our University. We must look for new tools even in the way we communicate. Old tools don’t apply. I am ready to bring more changes.

How have you avoided money temptations as a top Church leader?
Transparency, accountability and integrity are all Christian Values. We must embrace them because it’s the teaching of Jesus Christ in Mathew Chapter 5:13-14. You must be the light and salt of the world. It’s Jesus who saved me on March 7, 1984. Ever since I got saved, I discovered a secret in being transparent and accountable. This is what an American evangelist said about integrity: It is something you do at night, and in broad daylight. I want to call upon all God’s people. We must be transparent. Once you tamper with transparency, you block God’s blessings for you, your children and your children’s children.

The interviewer, John Semakula, is a graduate of Master of Arts in Journalism and Media Studies of Uganda Christian University (UCU). He is the supervisor of The Standard newspaper and lecturer of journalism and communication at UCU. John worked as a Senior Writer with the New Vision newspaper for eight years.

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To support Uganda Christian University programs, students, activities and services, go to www.ugandapartners.org and click on the “donate” button, or contact UCU Partners Executive Director, Mark Bartels, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org.

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Give God thanks in all circumstances, even COVID-19

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Outgoing Uganda Christian University (UCU) Vice Chancellor, John Senyonyi (right front) poses recently with some of his leadership team, including the Mayor of Mukono, George Fred Kagimu (third from right); and the incoming Vice Chancellor, Aaron Mushengyezi (third from left).
Outgoing Uganda Christian University (UCU) Vice Chancellor, John Senyonyi (right front) poses recently with some of his leadership team, including the Mayor of Mukono, George Fred Kagimu (third from right); and the incoming Vice Chancellor, Aaron Mushengyezi (third from left).

By the Rev. Canon Dr. John Senyonyi
Vice Chancellor, Uganda Christian University

The global COVID-19 pandemic is both unprecedented and baffling. It has locked up countries with the best healthcare systems, and plagued palaces and Presidential houses, just as it has pervaded slums. Churches and schools have been barred from physical gatherings, as well as places of amusement.

As Christians we have not been spared. We bend our knees in prayer pleading for God’s intervention during this crisis. For what can a believer do than cry for God’s deliverance?

In the early 1980’s, the political and security situation in Uganda similarly defied all hope. In desperation people half-jestingly would say, “God lost Uganda’s file,” to mean God had forgotten about Uganda. Had He?

A comparable pestilence struck Eilenburg, Germany, in the 1630s. It is said thousands died. People, including clergy, either fled Eilenburg or died. One pastor, Martin Rinkart, stayed and alone performed more than 4,000 funerals. His wife, too, perished. A famine followed the plague. Yet Rinkart shared his food with all he could. In the midst of this tragedy, Rinkart wrote a hymn of gratitude we know well, Now Thank We All Our God. He thanked God.

In modern Christian parlance, health and wealth have become a human right before God. Acquisition has become a “spiritual virtue,” alongside discontent. We tell God how He should run His world! We give thanks only when we get what we want. We even attribute our welfare entirely to our self-care.

But the Bible is relentless in urging us to thank God. Paul urges, “Give thanks in all circumstances …” All circumstances is not in some circumstances. During COVID-19, and even with bereavement thereby, or with other misfortunes.

Gratitude is important because it is as contagious as ingratitude. Children who grow up in thankful homes develop a brighter spirit toward life. The converse is equally true. The pilgrim children of Israel coming from Egypt demonstrate the infectiousness of grumbling.

The Bible does not command us to thank God for the crisis or misfortune, but in the midst of the situation. It commands and commends giving thanks because of who God is in His nature, and especially to us.

We may not know the circumstances that inspired King David to pen more than 70 psalms, including Psalm 103 (Bless the Lord, O my soul), though we are all too familiar with David’s personal troubles. They were not unlike our own. David endured many personal trials.

He encourages us not to forget all God’s benefits. For when hardships come, present circumstances press so hard that as a reflex, our emotions dominate our response. In adversity, we do not remember the past goodness of God easily.

Now, without a memory it is impossible to give thanks to God. For that reason, David says, “forget not all His benefits.” This is a fundamental statement. There is wit and truth in the statement, “the principal function of the brain is to forget.” If you will not remember, you will not thank God. Gratitude first reflects on what the LORD has done, and that is in the past.

David is teaching us a central truth that our circumstances should not dictate our relationship with God or how we walk with Him. Gratitude comes when we reflect on God’s goodness in our life – not the future, but the past. So, we can be thankful amidst the COVID-19, if we know where we have come from.

Moreover, David gives valid reasons for gratitude that are applicable to all. God forgives, heals, redeems, crowns, satisfies, and each verb is present continuous imputing God’s unending care and blessings. God’s unmerited Grace forgives our sins and heals our diseases and redeems our life from the pit.

That the Coronavirus has no medicine should be telling that God alone has spared His people. In Uganda, with our grossly imperfect health systems, people have not died in hordes as predicted. According to data, only five have died so far. Some friends were down with the Coronavirus and appeared near to death. Yet God’s mercy spared them. Bless the LORD, O my soul.

As David calls upon all people to thank God, he explains the means whereby we should thank Him. Thanksgiving is vain unless it flows from within – that is, from one’s soul. Thanksgiving is not the words we speak or the gifts we bring before God. Unless the heart is thankful, all external expressions are empty public rhetoric and display.

Equally, a thankful heart cannot be suppressed; it must burst out into expressed gratitude. The Psalmists repeatedly talk of thanking God among the people. Their thanksgiving flows from within to without, into Praise and Offerings to God and care for others.

A story is told that a man once stole the famous Bible commentator, Matthew Henry’s wallet. That can be traumatizing. When he reflected on the incident, Henry (1662-1714) had four reasons to thank God.

He was first of all thankful that the man had never robbed him before. Then he was thankful that although the man had taken his wallet and he certainly could have caused more harm, he did not take his life also. Furthermore, although the man had taken all Henry had, there wasn’t much in that wallet. And finally, Henry thanked God that he had been robbed, rather than he, Henry, doing the robbing.

Crises often have a silver lining. In the education sector, COVID-19 has been an eye opener. As human physical interaction receded, the virtual world that appeared distant and optional became urgent and necessary. It also has become more real in connecting the world, as the less fortunate yearn to be included in the new world.

We certainly do not know all the dangers God rescues us from, but we know that the Man who was bruised at Calvary is in control. He will not let you go – not even during the COVID-29 pandemic!

Therefore, we can confidently say with David, “Bless the LORD, O, my soul.” Amen.

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The need to support Uganda Christian University programs, students, and services is ever greater during COVID-19 and the lockdown of education. To contribute, go to www.ugandapartners.org and click on the “donate” button, or contact UCU Partners Executive Director, Mark Bartels, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org.

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Retiring UCU Vice Chancellor John Senyonyi, second from right, and his predecessor, Dr. Stephen Noll, right, with Archbishop Emeritus Henry Luke Orombi, his predecessor, Livingstone Mpalanyi Nkoyoyo (second left) and the Rt. Rev. Dr. Michael Kyomya bishop emeritus of Busoga Diocese.

Orombi: ‘Everybody has a calling and a reason for that calling’

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Retiring UCU Vice Chancellor John Senyonyi, second from right, and his predecessor, Dr. Stephen Noll, right, with Archbishop Emeritus Henry Luke Orombi, his predecessor, Livingstone Mpalanyi Nkoyoyo (second left) and the Rt. Rev. Dr. Michael Kyomya bishop emeritus of Busoga Diocese.
Retiring UCU Vice Chancellor John Senyonyi, second from right, and his predecessor, Dr. Stephen Noll, right, with Archbishop Emeritus Henry Luke Orombi, his predecessor, Livingstone Mpalanyi Nkoyoyo (second left) and the Rt. Rev. Dr. Michael Kyomya bishop emeritus of Busoga Diocese.

The Archbishop emeritus of the of the Province of the Church of Uganda and former Chancellor of Uganda Christian University (UCU), the Rt. Rev. Henry Luke Orombi, has joined the list of prominent clergy bidding farewell to Cannon Dr. John Senyonyi, who is retiring from the office of the Vice-Chancellor on August 31. Archbishop Orombi, who retired in 2012, was the University’s chancellor 10 years ago when Dr. Senyonyi was assuming the office. In this July 20, 2020, interview with John Semakula, the retired archbishop speaks out on why he chose Dr. Senyonyi for the position and why the Church is proud of UCU.

How is retirement?
Some people have thought that I am not retired. I have only shifted camp. I left Namirembe, the Provincial home of the Archbishop and went to Nebbi as my main base in retirement. And I have continued to serve God and minister in many different ways. I have continued to help dioceses in the province and beyond our country. I have gone to Kenya several times, and Tanzania once. I went to Korea in November, and to the US before COVID-19 became serious. So I have been a busy man, extremely busy. The Lord has given me the strength and ability in me.

Why did you retire a year before the official end of your term as Archbishop?
Everybody has a calling and a reason for that calling. When I came in 2004 as the Archbishop, I had a few things that I believed God wanted me to do. First was to bring peace to the Province. We had five dioceses which were not functioning well, and it was succession, seriously. There was no leadership; there were gaps there, so there were wrangles. Second, we needed to bring back our young people who were scattered. I believe that the young people were scattered because they were looking for a pulpit that can feed them. The third was the Church House, which was a 40-year dream that had to take off. And then, I also wanted to preach the gospel nationally. Once those things were done, results were already good, the Province was settled and then we had the Church House already started up to a level from where my successor started and finished it up, and the young people came back to the Church, finances were stable, I felt that my assignments were over. I was remaining with only one year to finish my tenure as we normally do 10 years as Archbishops, and I did nine. So I did not even see why I needed to spend another 12 months doing nothing. I said I have finished; let me go back and preach the gospel, which I am doing right now.

Any challenges in retirement?
Yes, a lot of challenges. You just can’t do as much as you desire to do. Your physical body is not going to tell you that you can rush all over the place all the time. I have too many invitations that I cannot meet and that is why I do my diary two years at a time. So the 2021 items in my dairy are now filling up and by the time I get into December, I am already putting to finish the 2021 diary for my partners who are praying with me. So much as my spirit is always willing; my body can’t do it all, and now in retirement I can say to some people that I can’t do that and I can’t come to you. Remember that travelling up and down this country is a lot of work.

The interviewer, John Semakula, and Archbishop emeritus Henry Luke Orombi pause for a photo after the interview in Muyenga, Kampala. (Photo by Sam Tatambuka).
The interviewer, John Semakula, and Archbishop emeritus Henry Luke Orombi pause for a photo after the interview in Muyenga, Kampala. (Photo by Sam Tatambuka).

How have you been affected individually by COVID-19?
Do you know that the day the lockdown was imposed, we were passing through Entebbe Airport from the US together with my wife? We arrived on March 18, the same day the President was on air issuing the restrictions that the airport will close, schools, and everything else. The airport authority said they were supposed to quarantine us in Entebbe, but asked us to do self quarantine. We went to Mukono to get a two-day’s breath then travelled to our upcountry home in Nebbi. After a month, the Ministry of Health sent a team to come and test us. They took our samples and the results came back negative. I have since been at home for four months, and the first trip I made was this one.

You were the chancellor when Dr. John Senyonyi became the Vice-Chancellor of UCU 10 years ago. Why did you endorse him?
Dr. Senyonyi had been mentored already by Prof. Stephen Noll, his predecessor. He had worked alongside him and knew UCU very well. And what I thought about him then was the trust Prof. Noll had about him. That trust is always good because somebody who is local and locally bred and if people can trust him, let alone a Muzungu (white man), it means he has seen quality in the person and so we were very considerate about the honest assessment from Prof. Noll. I have also known John for a very long period of time ever since he was with the African Evangelist Enterprise.

What is your honest assessment of Dr. Senyonyi’s tenure as he retires in August?
He has come to the end of his work without any single crisis. He has not been fired by the board or by anybody else. For me what will always tell you that somebody is a good leader is how they finish. When the people finish well and peacefully, then you know that they have worked their way within the best of their abilities and have finished. Perfect? No. Nobody is perfect. There are other things that could have happened that can happen to anybody. But Dr. Senyonyi’s main achievement is that he finished well and that in 10 years, UCU has grown in numbers, quality, and infrastructure. UCU is now one of those institutions in the country with a name and that depends on how the leadership has been. He has been at the apex of that leadership. I am also thankful that he has not collapsed because of diabetes, high blood pressure or stroke.

Any advice to Dr. Senyonyi for his retirement?
John, you are coming out, but you have a lot of energy. May God give you opportunity to use your energy because men like you need outlet for energy. Use your gifts to bless this country.

And any word to the incoming Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Aaron Mushengyezi?
Be a leader who is transparent. Listen because you learn a lot from your faculty and students. Be a man who is humble enough to ask for assistance. Even Jesus recruited disciples who would help him to advance his mission. And may I ask God to give you discernment to choose the right kind of people to advise you. Anything can rise or fail because of the kind of people who are advising you. I also pray that you will understand that this is about serving people and God. It’s not about prestige or promotion.

How does UCU fit into the mission of the Province of the Church of Uganda?
UCU was a child conceived by Archbishop Livingstone Mpalanyi Nkoyoyo. And it’s an investment in the building of the next generation. That is one of the core values of the Church, to think ahead. For the Church our pride is we have ministered and we have served not only Uganda, but other countries around us and elsewhere because we partner very heavily with Nigeria. Nigerians have come to study here. We are also linked internationally. Trinity Divinity School has sent us people here and we have sent our people over there. So our international connection as a Church brings these things about. The Church is not only a local entity, but global and we see that happen as the Church’s pride in UCU. And also I think that comments people make, makes the Church encouraged and proud that we are producing results that are a blessing not only for our nation, but all the place where our people go to.

The Provincial assembly set aside the first Sunday in September for the dioceses to promote and fundraise for UCU.  Why are some not cooperating?
I don’t even want to think about the UCU Sunday. I want to think about Ugandans who have money to sometimes provide in their will that would like to put for UCU sh5m, sh10m or whatever. And this should be regular. You know when people are willing to give and give genuinely? Yesterday I had a man I met in the Archbishop’s place, a man who is a member of our Church with such a giving ability. He has done work with the Archbishop when he was still a bishop in Mityana. The Archbishop was telling us that he came to fundraise for their cathedral roofing and one man alone said he wanted to give sh100m ($27,284.70) for the project. When the money wasn’t enough, they came to say that they still needed some more money. The same man said he would give another $27,284.70 – Sh200m ($54,569.4) from one person? Now that to me tells me that we have people who are willing to give towards the cause of the Church including UCU. Let’s just put it for an argument’s sake, we have 20 Ugandans who are willing to commit $27.284.70 per year. That money is more than what comes from the dioceses. That’s how the Americans do it. They have philanthropists who are willing to commit money regularly for 5 to 10 years. That’s much more easier for planning purposes than when you are waiting for money to come in when you even don’t know how much it is.

How is that kind of fundraising possible in Uganda?
I was in Mbarara District and for four years coming every November, we would go there, I was encouraging Christians to put their Church in the town. The Archdeaconry of greater Mbarara has now built a church, the biggest in Uganda, a 7,000 seater. Very beautiful indeed, but when they wanted to raise money for the roof, they invited the President of Uganda to come and the bishop stood up to say how much the Christians have actually committed to build the church without a bank loan. He said there is one Christian here, who built the offshoot of this Church in Kakooba near Bishop Stuart University and he and his family alone raised sh250m ($68,211.75).

Any message for UCU students going through challenges due to COVID-19?
My encouragement to the students is that while you are out there, think as a student, but as a useful student. Meaning that if you are home with your guardian or parents, employ yourself. Make yourself useful. If there is a way you can eliminate the burden of finances, do it. I have university students in my home and I never give them the money. They will come to me and say, dad, give us work to do because they have their personal needs. So where I would be asking other people to do the work for me and pay them, I pay my own family members because they are willing to serve. That’s the way to go.

And any message for Christians going through the same kind of suffering?
I only want to tell you Christians that what we are going through is not foreign to God. He understands it more than we do. He knows we need to wear, eat, and to be accommodated.  He also knows that we need to be healthy even more deeply, so allow God to understand that we actually know that He knows. Yesterday I was emphasizing a lot on prayer. I said that there are two things that Jesus taught us. First, he taught us who God is. The God who is the father in heaven, the holy God, King of Kings, our protector, the forgiver of our sins, the shepherded of our souls and the defender of our lives. That is God in his quality. And then he is related to us. He is a friend, God our friend and our father. We still have our hotline with God our father and I know there are testimonies I have already heard during this period. On Saturday, I was in Makerere with a chaplain and his wife was giving a testimony about how God was intervening in their domestic needs this way: A batch of matooke will come, when it’s about to get finished, another one will come from different people and all are strangers. Why?  The God who knows our different needs knows how we will survive.

Why should a student study from UCU?
I don’t think that we are going to sell UCU more than it has already been sold. UCU is so well known. UCU is a university with Christian ethos, which in itself makes it a very special place. Secondly, our products from UCU are very marketable. When you finish from UCU, the workplace out there is looking for UCU graduates, and it’s because of the kind of way we have disciplined people and how we have brought them up. Thirdly, UCU carries with it the pride of the Church of Uganda and I am amazed the other people, Roman Catholics and Muslims, are attracted to this University and we do the foundation course, Christian Ethics, which gives the basis for UCU. So when other people who are not members of the Church of Uganda are attracted, then you know that something good is there. We keep that as a point of attraction because we deliver and anybody intending to apply for University education should come to UCU.

Where do you want to see UCU in the next 20 years?
From an honest perspective, I don’t want UCU to grow beyond what it can manage. By the time a place becomes so popular, the temptation is to grow it and grow it. But if you grow it so big and you can’t manage it, your products are going to lose quality. So I would want UCU to keep growing, but very calculatedly, steadily and gently. What I would also want UCU to do is to strengthen the (regional) colleges. We have one in Mbale, we have another one in Kabale; we also have a study centre in Arua. I would love to see these become fully fledged colleges so that both Arua and Mbale should not come to the main campus for their graduations. Like Bishop Barham in Kabale, their graduation takes place there. I would like to see that built up so that we can decentralize our services. For somebody to come from Arua to graduate in Mukono is very expensive unnecessarily.

But some people say UCU has a very expensive tuition policy?
The point is that UCU is a private institution. It doesn’t get any help from government. It works itself out with all the things we have in terms of infrastructure, lecturers’ salaries and everything else from the students’ tuition. In the end, it becomes expensive, but you actually get the worth of your tuition.

What do you say about Ugandan politicians who are secretly holding political meetings in churches that were closed in March to mitigate the spread of COVID-19?
There is no leadership in those areas where this is happening. If there was leadership, the leaders would know that church buildings are sacred and dedicated to God. They would not allow politicians to use them. The politicians would rather look for other places for their activities. Churches are dwelling places for the Lord.

The interviewer, John Semakula, is a graduate of the Master of Arts in Journalism and Media Studies of Uganda Christian University (UCU). He is the supervisor of The Standard newspaper and lecturer of journalism and Communication at UCU. John has worked with the New Vision newspaper for over 15 years.

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To support Uganda Christian University programs, students, activities and services, go to www.ugandapartners.org and click on the “donate” button, or contact UCU Partners Executive Director, Mark Bartels, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org.

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The Rev. Canon Dr. John Senyonyi, seated, with his wife, Ruth, and children and grandchildren in 2017

Legacy – Senyonyi discusses lessons learned, offers advice for successor

COVID-19, Faculty, , , , , , , , ,


The Rev. Canon Dr. John Senyonyi, seated, with his wife, Ruth, and children and grandchildren in 2017
The Rev. Canon Dr. John Senyonyi, seated, with his wife, Ruth, and children and grandchildren in 2017

At the end of August 2020, the Rev. Canon Dr. John Senyonyi says farewell to 19 years of service at Uganda Christian University (UCU), having come first in 2001 as a chaplain. He has been vice chancellor since 2010. He retires in the midst of COVID-related, government orders of education shutdowns. In this last segment of a two-part series, UCU Vice Chancellor Senyonyi gives his thoughts on various aspects of his leadership and the university. John Semakula, a UCU graduate and lecturer, conducted this interview on July 6.  

What key lessons have you learned as the Vice-Chancellor?
There is one fallacy. When we need someone to manage a university, academic qualification lends more weight than other requirements. To the best of my knowledge, if you are to manage a university, academic qualifications are necessary, but I would not even put them as number one.  On the contrary, leadership qualities like listening, knowing that you are serving people, setting aside your own selfishness, being available and strategic thinking are more important. I also have learned that when it comes to managing people, it becomes more complex than even managing things like financial or building resources. The relationship with people is what is very critical because it is what will give you the respect and confidence to serve. If the people you lead don’t have respect in you, it doesn’t matter what you do.

Former UCU Vice Chancellor, Dr. Stephen Noll, right, and John Senyonyi, left, with Henry Luke Orombi, former Archbishop of the Church of Uganda
Former UCU Vice Chancellor, Dr. Stephen Noll, right, and John Senyonyi, left, with Henry Luke Orombi, former Archbishop of the Church of Uganda

Any lessons on financing for a private University?
There is one mistake that many managers of academic institutions make –  that is to think that you must always look outside yourself to get the resources you need to manage an institution. What happens quite often is if it is a public institution, it looks to government to finance its activities. If it’s a private institution, at this present time, many don’t even know what to do at all. But you have got to be creative. It’s a wrong model to always turn to government for money that it does not usually have. My argument has always been that government should give us the right environment to operate in terms of taxation, or if we are talking about land to allow us to observe the law of ownership. Unless that is done, it becomes impossible for the institution to own land in a meaningful way. Many people have also come to me to benchmark thinking that UCU relies heavily on foreign funding. However, for the last 10 years, I can stand here and testify that I have received no foreign support for any capital development. None whatsoever, they have supported scholarships for students and things like that, but definitely no windfall of money that has put up a classroom building or worked on the roads and so forth. So this business of thinking that an outsider will finance what you need to do, I think for me, has been a very big lesson.

What has been the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on the infrastructure at UCU?   When buildings are not in use, they fall into disrepair, and that is what brings me pain and anxiety. I start wondering how much the University will invest to repair them when eventually it reopens, especially if it takes very long to get them back to tenantable condition.

Has government promised to finance private universities in the lockdown?
What I have heard government say is not about providing grants, but loans. Once you talk of a loan, the first thing that someone will always have to think about is how to access it in a responsible way according to your cash-flows, both present and projected. We can’t take a loan at this time when we are even rescheduling the loans we had.  If it was a grant, I would have been at the door of the government knocking so that I can support my staff. Government did indeed ask us how much we need to survive per month, which I sent them. We sent them our monthly bill that has payroll and utilities, above shb1.7bn (roughly $460,000), but I am not very sure that they are going to do anything more. I would be very happy if they can. I wrote a letter to His Excellency the President and to the Minister of Education (also the first lady),asking for support for private universities. Right now government is supporting public universities by paying salaries of staff and all that, but who is taking care of our staff? So the ball is pretty much in the hands of government to ensure that there is some support that comes to us as private institutions.

Why did UCU suspend staff contracts during the COVID-19 lockdown?
The suspension is like putting on hold any obligations or liabilities that the University would have had toward those staff members, and it was to help save resources so that the University remains afloat even minimally. The suspension is saying that for the time being, you are a staff member, but we have no obligation and liabilities with respect to your benefits. I have to admit that probably, for all my 10 years as Vice-Chancellor or even for the 20 years I have been at the University, it was the most painful thing to do to look at all your staff and say we are not going to hold responsibility for paying your salary, well knowing it’s their livelihood.

Will the staff be paid the salary arrears in future?
To promise that we shall pay the salary in arrears later is to make the assumption that for this period we shall be getting revenue that accrues to that time. Only public institutions can operate that way.

What piece of advice do you have for the incoming Vice-Chancellor?
Fortunately, we are already doing some orientation sessions with him and they are going very well. To me I think that has been very helpful. We are exposing him to the full breadth of what I have been involved with. But I would say that first and foremost, he is coming from outside so it’s much better and foremost to be a listener. Implementation is not normally the best thing to start immediately. Leadership is like trying to place interlocking bricks.  Before I place it, I need to know what fits where. Listening is critical to achieve that and will give him an opportunity to also understand the systems that are in place. He will of course be free to change according to his vision, but when you change before you have listened, it appears like you want to rub away what others have done. The problem with that is that you think you are changing what your predecessor has done, but you are also rubbing away all those people that are connected with it and may still be on staff. You are telling them that what they were doing is useless and that it was not the best way of doing it.

Any spiritual advice for your successor on how to handle staff and spirituality?
The best people that will help him to settle down are within the University – not without. They are the ones he is going to live and work with. Other people may advise, but ultimately he needs to make sure that he connects with the staff rather than trying to create a relationship gap with them. What he does with staff members also becomes important with students. On the spiritual side, he is a Christian, which is very excellent. It will be very important for him who is not an ordained person not to relinquish his role as the spiritual leader in the University. That role may be carried out differently because he is not going to stand and lead services, he may not even be a preacher. He may not do the same thing that I have been doing, but his spiritual leadership is important to ensure that whatever has been in place in terms of spiritual leadership continues.

What advice do you have for the new Chancellor?
I think the job of the new chancellor is easier. First and foremost, I think giving opportunities for the Vice-Chancellor and his leadership team to meet with him on a regular basis. One of the things we did here to ensure that we meet him quite often almost every semester was simply to create pastoral visits for the Chancellor. He comes and interacts with different people. There may also be time when the Vice-Chancellor may need to have a one on one or an opportunity away from here. Secondary for the Chancellor, one of the most critical things is to keep in mind that UCU is the Provincial University. Therefore, as Archbishop, he has the responsibility to ensure that the Provincial nature of this University is protected before the eyes of the Church. That means that all the bishops have a stake in the University. Unlike other Anglican founded Universities, when it comes to UCU, all the dioceses under the Province must see their responsibility and the chancellor is key in ensuring that they understand this such that they don’t look at the University like any other.

What has been your biggest challenge as the Vice-Chancellor in the last 10 years
Inevitably, everything goes back to meager resources because if you wanted to get very good staff members and to furnish classrooms, you need the resources. When I talk about infrastructure, it still goes back to resources. Essentially what you are looking at is a University that depends almost entirely, more than 90 percent on student tuition. When you are in that kind of situation, you have got to put more weight on students to pay up. But if they don’t pay up, they won’t get the services. So it’s the issue of resources that has been my biggest headache. I sleep and wake up thinking about resources.

What is management doing to overcome the burden of inadequate resources?
We have tried various ways to think of how we can harness some resources from the University particularly using our land from Ntawo, but then the problem is that squatters have put down their foot. They don’t want to compensate not even entering a relationship with the University that owns that land. That means that the University that owns this prime land, which we could have used to build an endowment can’t. So the issue of resources stands out as the one challenge that any Vice-Chancellor needs to come too and resolve.

What is the biggest challenge awaiting the new Vice-Chancellor?
It’s still the same, inadequate resources. Some people quite often think that research money will bridge the financial gap. Research money will come and may be used to purchase some equipment, put up a building, but people are not going to give you money to run the University. Inevitably the biggest challenge that I think the new Vice-Chancellor will face is to ensure that there are resources that do not come from abroad that depend on any external factors other than the fact that the University has its own resources.

What advice do you have for the staff members you are leaving behind?
Welcome the incoming Vice-Chancellor warmly because as much as his own handling of staff is important for that relationship to advance the mission of the University, it’s also true that unless staff members are open to welcome him, it also becomes problematic. Secondary, my experience in a University like this is that unless you feel a sense of calling to do this work, I am afraid it becomes very difficult for one to get the job satisfaction. It’s very easy to come here and do your work more or less for what you are going to get at the end of the month. That is important because people should get their pay, but if that is all that attracts you to UCU, you will not get the satisfaction. Staff members should take pride in a few years down the road to be able to look back and say I contributed to that University that there is a brick I put there.

How have you avoided the temptation to mismanage University finances?
There is no position I have assumed because I am going to earn. Earning? Yes, I do, but I do whatever job as a vocation. This is my third station because I started from Makerere University. Then God called me and I spent another 13 years in an evangelical organization. I didn’t come here until I was convinced that God was calling me to serve. I knew he was calling me to be the University chaplain. Later, it was quite a bit of convincing to come out of the chaplaincy to be the deputy Vice-Chancellor. Eventually God just said; you will go whether you like it or not. When the Vice-Chancellor’s slot was falling vacant, ideally I was refusing to apply.  I remember asking the then Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Stephen Noll whether I had to apply. He was encouraging. I still said no, and eventually it was my youngest son who convinced me by asking me a very serious theological question. He said: “If you don’t apply, how will you know that God is choosing you to serve in that capacity?”  So that is when I applied, but it was like saying I don’t care if I don’t get it. When I am serving, I see money or resources and power as what God has equipped me with to serve others. Proverbs 22:1 says a good name is to be treasured more than riches. But for many people, when they get a job, it’s getting rich that becomes the most important. For me according to that verse, the most important thing is to have a good name. I want to be able to go through this University with an untarnished name.

Any piece of advice for the students as you leave?
I think I have grieved more for the students than anything. The reason I grieve for the students is very simple; I went to the University of Nairobi a year before they had had a lockdown of the University for five months. The University of Nairobi used to be closed quite a bit. So when I look at these students I feel that what those others at the University of Nairobi went through. At least for them they had government supporting them. But this lockdown has created a situation where the students have suffered a setback by months and it may even be by years in terms of their career development. Secondary what will happen when they go out? Will the job market still be the same? That itself may set them back for years because the job market is going to struggle to get back to its rails. I feel for them.

The interviewer, John Semakula, is a graduate of Master of Arts in Journalism and Media Studies of Uganda Christian University (UCU). Currently, he works as the supervisor of The Standard newspaper and lecturer of journalism and Communication at UCU. John worked as a Senior Writer with the New Vision newspaper for eight years.

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To support Uganda Christian University programs, students, activities and services, go to www.ugandapartners.org and click on the “donate” button, or contact UCU Partners Executive Director, Mark Bartels, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org.

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