Pastor Patience Kokundeka Museveni Rwabwogo has been consecrated as an Episcopal Bishop of Covenant Nations Church in Uganda and beyond, 20 years after founding the ministry as a small house fellowship.
Mrs. Rwabwogo was consecrated today during celebrations marking two decades of Covenant Nations Church at Covenant Hill in Maya, in a ceremony led by Bishop Dr. LaDonna Osborn, the chief consecrator.
Bishop Osborn presided over the consecration and presented Bishop Patience with her certificate and Bible. Archbishop Moses Odongo and Bishop Joshua Lwere served as co-consecrators.
The ceremony marked a significant milestone in Uganda’s Christian history, with Bishop Patience becoming the first woman to be ordained as a bishop in Uganda.
The occasion brought together senior Christian leaders, government officials, family members, believers and friends who witnessed Bishop Patience formally assume a wider responsibility in church leadership and ministry.
Among those present were Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye and his wife, Pastor (Mrs.) Folu Adeboye, global leaders of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), who were recognised for their role in Patience’s spiritual journey.
Pastor Adeboye participated directly in the consecration, leading the anointing with oil and prayers for the newly consecrated bishop.
Presenting Bishop Patience on behalf of the elders of Covenant Nations Church, Mrs. Allen Kagina said her journey to the episcopal office had been shaped by two decades of ministry, service, leadership and commitment to the Christian faith.
Mrs. Kagina said the elders had carefully considered Patience’s character, conduct, doctrine, leadership and ministry before presenting her for consecration.
“Twenty years ago, God planted within her heart a vision that began humbly as a small house fellowship. What appeared small in the eyes of men carried within it the seed of a much greater work,” Mrs. Kagina said.
She said that through prayer, obedience and perseverance, the fellowship grew into Covenant Nations Church, which has become a spiritual home for believers seeking to live out their faith in their families, professions, communities and the nation.
According to Mrs. Kagina, Patience’s ministry has extended beyond spiritual teaching to include leadership development, professional excellence, entrepreneurship, economic empowerment and responsible stewardship.
“She has consistently proclaimed that the Gospel must transform the whole person,” she said.
She added that Patience had maintained a particular focus on young people, students and young professionals, encouraging them to discover their purpose, build their lives on the Word of God and use their education, gifts and opportunities for the good of society.
Through Bible teaching, mentorship, conferences, leadership seminars and evangelistic missions, Mrs. Kagina said Patience had encouraged believers to become witnesses of Christ in education, leadership, family life, business, public service and national development.
She also highlighted Patience’s efforts to promote unity among Christian denominations, noting that she had worked with her husband, Mr. Odrek Rwabwogo, to bring together Pentecostal pastors, Anglican bishops and other Christian leaders for prayer, revival and evangelism.
Mrs. Kagina cited the Light Up Uganda for Jesus Gospel Convention as one example of this commitment, bringing together Christians and leaders from different denominations to worship, pray and proclaim the Gospel.
“Her ministry carries a pastoral, teaching and prophetic burden: to nurture the flock entrusted to her, to strengthen the Church, to raise leaders, to disciple nations and to advance the Gospel beyond familiar boundaries,” she said.
The elders said Patience’s consecration was not a personal promotion but a call to greater responsibility and service to God and His people.
President Museveni congratulates daughter:
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni congratulated his daughter on her consecration, describing the occasion as significant not only for the family but also for the historical journey of Christianity in Uganda.
The President first thanked God for the recovery of the First Lady, Maama Janet Museveni, and commended the medical personnel who cared for her, as well as their children Muhoozi, Natasha, Patience and Diana for supporting her during the period.
“First of all, I thank God for the recovery of Maama. Apart from thanking God, I want to salute and thank the medical staff who have been involved in treating her, and also our children Muhoozi, Natasha, Patience and Diana, who have been together with the medical staff taking care of her,” President Museveni said.
He then reflected on the significance of Patience becoming a bishop, placing her consecration within the broader history of faith in Uganda.
“Secondly, I thank God for making Patience become a Bishop. We are the ancient people of this area. We have been here for four and a half million years,” he said.
President Museveni recalled that Muslims arrived in Uganda in 1841, followed by Anglicans in 1877 and Catholics in 1879, noting that several generations of his family lived through those developments without joining the Church.
“My great fathers were alive; they never joined the Church. My grandparents were also alive; they never joined the Church. It was Mzee Kaguta who joined the Church for the first time in 1947. But in all these years, I had never even heard of a catechist. Today, I have a whole Bishop,” he said.
The President also revealed that, despite having spent years studying the Bible, Patience’s own studies had challenged some of his understanding.
“I was not paying attention to Patience’s church things, but I had spent 12 years studying the Bible day by day from 1953. We would start the whole book of Genesis, finish it, go to Exodus, finish it, then Leviticus, Deuteronomy and the others. I thought I knew the Bible,” he said.
He said he was surprised by some of the historical and biblical perspectives he encountered in Patience’s documents.
“I was surprised when I learned from Patience about the descendants of Lot and Esau, who were not Jews. I had never heard anyone talking about it. But when I read Patience’s documents, they informed me about it. I surrendered because she had read the Bible,” President Museveni said.
He said Bishop Patience would bring new energy to the Church and thanked Pastor Adeboye and Bishop Osborn for attending the occasion.
President Museveni also challenged religious leaders to ensure that Christianity responds to the practical needs of society, drawing on the example of Jesus Christ.
“You have heard what Bishop LaDonna said. They are all saying that if a Bishop doesn’t have the spirit of a Bishop, he is just an executive, managing, but not a spiritual leader,” he said.
“This is where you old fellows who talk about religion should come together, because that is the substance that Jesus quoted from the other book of Isaiah. He came to heal the sick, feed the hungry and free those in bondage. That is what Jesus came for. But if you religious leaders don’t address that, you are wasting time. That is the substance of your contribution,” he added.
The President thanked the congregation and disclosed that, in keeping with their traditional practice, he and the First Lady had given Bishop Patience 50 cows.
“In our traditional way, I gave Patience 50 cows, and the cows are from Maama and myself,” he said.
First Lady gives thanks for Uganda, family and ministry:
First Lady Maama Janet Museveni described the occasion as a special day for the family and the Body of Christ.
In a thanksgiving message, she reflected on Uganda’s difficult history, including civil conflict, displacement, poverty and the challenges of rebuilding the country, while giving thanks for what she described as God’s faithfulness to Uganda.
She praised the country’s progress over the past 40 years, noting that Uganda had moved from being a war-ravaged nation to contributing to regional peacekeeping efforts and hosting refugees from neighbouring countries.
The First Lady also gave thanks for her recovery, describing 2026 as a year in which God had preserved her life.
“Thank You Lord Jesus for revealing Yourself as our Redeemer, the One Who paid the price for our freedom. Thank You Lord Jesus, that You are the Healer, the Great Physician, the Doctor who never refers a case,” she said.
She thanked the praying Church in Uganda for standing with her during her illness.
“When I could not pray for myself, You raised up faithful watchmen and intercessors who gave You no rest day and night as they interceded for my life. And You in Your mercy heard their prayers,” she said.
Turning to her daughter’s consecration, the First Lady said the occasion was a source of profound joy and thanksgiving.
“Today, we celebrate the consecration of our daughter, Patience, to the office of a Bishop. We are overwhelmed with joy and thanksgiving at the great honour You have bestowed over us in choosing one of our children to serve You in this capacity,” she said.
She paid tribute to earlier generations of the family whose faith and service, she said, had laid a foundation for the ministry.
Maama Janet noted that Patience had answered the call to ministry about 20 years ago and prayed for God to give her and Mr. Odrek Rwabwogo fresh strength and spiritual grace as they undertake the new responsibility.
She also thanked God for Covenant Nations Church, which she said had grown from a small house fellowship into a ministry with a wider reach.
The First Lady concluded by thanking Pastor E.A. Adeboye, Mrs. Adeboye and Bishop Dr. LaDonna Osborn for attending the ceremony and celebrating the milestone with the family.
Bishop Osborn calls for a Church that transforms society:
Bishop Dr. Osborn commended President Museveni and the First Lady for prioritising their faith despite their responsibilities as national leaders.
She thanked members of Covenant Nations Church, elders and religious leaders for attending the ceremony, stressing the importance of unity within the Christian community.
Bishop Osborn said Christians did not have to agree on every form or interpretation of faith but should remain united through their common faith in God.
She said the office of a bishop carries a responsibility to extend Christ’s ministry, promote justice and lift people up.
“A Bishop is supposed to lift people up and give them a new beginning,” she said.
She challenged the Church to move beyond simply preserving institutions and instead become an instrument for transforming society.
“The Church doesn’t need leaders who preserve the institutions, but one that heals nations,” she said.
Bishop Osborn said Patience’s calling would enable the Gospel to reach further and urged her to embrace the responsibility entrusted to her.
Odrek traces Patience’s ministry to Christian revival:
Mr. Odrek Rwabwogo reflected on Uganda’s Christian history, saying Bishop Patience’s consecration was part of a much longer story of faith, revival and service.
He traced the Christian revival in Ankole and recalled the contribution of early converts, including Mariam Kakyibara, whom he described as the first woman to be baptised in 1902.
He said the sacrifices of early Christians helped prepare the ground for the East African Christian revival.
“Today, the Lord has chosen our own Patience to be the first woman to be ordained Bishop in Uganda,” Mr. Rwabwogo said.
He said the story demonstrated that God often chooses people whom society may consider unlikely candidates to fulfil significant purposes.
Mr. Rwabwogo also reflected on the East African revival and the young men who became prominent figures in the movement, noting that God had repeatedly used people from unexpected backgrounds to advance His work.
He said Patience’s calling came after years of quiet service and that her new role would require her to shepherd, inspire and challenge the next generation.
He warned against a generation that places greater emphasis on intellectualism, political power and material wealth than on faith and godliness.
“God is the God of history,” he said.
Mr. Rwabwogo said Bishop Patience had also influenced their family through her emphasis on repentance, love, discipline and careful speech.
He described her as someone who would rather remain silent than speak words she believed did not honour God, saying her example had taught the family to take seriously the responsibility of living out their faith.
Episcopal symbols presented:
The consecration ceremony included the laying on of hands, anointing with oil and prayers for the newly consecrated bishop.
Bishop Patience was also formally presented with key episcopal symbols, each representing an aspect of her new office and responsibilities.
Apostle Alex Mitala presented the chemere, while Bishop Simon Peter Emiau presented the scarf, or tippet.
Archbishop Moses Odongo presented the cross, while Pastor Adeboye presented the ring.
Bishop Joshua Lwere presented the cope, while Bishop Dr. LaDonna Osborn presented the mitre.
Pastor Adeboye also presented the staff, completing the presentation of the episcopal symbols.
The occasion marked both the culmination of 20 years of Covenant Nations Church ministry and the beginning of a new chapter in Bishop Patience’s service to the Church.
From a small house fellowship two decades ago to a wider ministry and now the episcopal office, her consecration was presented by church leaders as a call not to prominence, but to greater responsibility.
The ceremony was also attended by senior government officials, including Vice President H.E. Jessica Alupo, NRM First National Vice Chairperson Al-Hajji Moses Kigongo, Cabinet ministers, religious and cultural leaders, family members and other guests.
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