TANZANIA: Pope Francis appoints Bishop Nkwande Archbishop for Mwanza
Most Rev. Renatus Nkwande, Archbishop-Elect Mwanza
The Holy Father Pope Francis has appointed Rt. Rev. Renatus Nkwande of Bunda Diocese as Archbishop of Mwanza Archdiocese, taking over from Most Rev. Jude Thaddeus Ruwaich who was appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of Dar es Salaam on June 21, 2018.
The Apostolic Nuncio to Tanzania Most Rev. Marek Solczyn’ski announced this information in February 11 this year.
Until his appointment, the Archbishop-elect was Bishop of Bunda Diocese and Chairman for Health Department at Tanzania Episcopal Conference.
A statement from the Office of the Secretary-General of Tanzania Episcopal Conference (TEC) indicated that Archbishop-elect Nkwande was born on November 12, 1965 in Sumve, Mwanza Archdiocese. He studied at Sumve Primary School and continued with his secondary education at Makoko Junior Seminary in Musoma Diocese, and later joined the junior seminary in Mwanza where he accomplished his secondary education in 1987.
In 1987 he went to Kibosho Major Seminary for Philosophical studies and in 1989 he later joined St. Charles Lwanga Major Seminary (Segerea), which is located in Dar es Salaam Archdiocese for Theological studies.
He was ordained priest of Mwanza Archdiocese on July 2, 1995; he served as Curate at Magu Parish in Mwanza from 1995-1996; and Rector of St Mary’s Junior Seminary of Mwanza Archdiocese from 1996-2001.
In 2002 to 2005 he went to Rome for studies in Church Law at the University of Urbanian where he acquired a Master. From 2005 to 2011 he was a Chief Accountant of Mwanza Archdiocese; and between 2008 and 2009 he was Vicar General of the Diocese.
In 2009 he was appointed Administrator of Mwanza Archdiocese after the death of Most Rev. Anthony Mayala who was the Archbishop of Mwanza.
On 27th November, 2010, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him bishop of the new Diocese of Bunda where he was consecrated and installed on February 20 in 2011 by Cardinal Polycarp Pengo, Archbishop of Dar es Salaam.
He has served as Bishop of Bunda Diocese for 7 years until February 11, 2019 when Pope Francis appointed him Archbishop of Mwanza Archdiocese.
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Sarah Pelaji, DSM
