AMECEA: New AMECEA Executive Board Asked to Take up Responsibility with Commitment and Zeal
New AMECEA Board Members, Secretary General, AMECEA departmental heads and CUEA Vice Chancellor
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
In their first Executive Board meeting since the appointed during the 20th Plenary Assembly that was held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, in the month of July, Chairman of the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) has called on the new AMECEA Board members to embrace the responsibility they were given with Commitment and zeal.
“Let us take up our responsibility with commitment and zeal to fulfill our mandate and ensure the pastoral relevance of our member episcopal conferences is actively presented,” AMECEA Chairman Bishop Charles Sampa Kasonde who was re-elected after his first term to head the region, told the new board members during their meeting at the Clergy home in Kenya’s capital Nairobi.
The Local Ordinary of Solwezi Diocese in Zambia emphasized further during the two-day meeting that took place from 18- 19 October, “We have been regarded as coworkers in the vineyard of our Lord Jesus Christ and by the grace of God may we be equal to the task that God has given us.”
The new AMECEA Executive Board members who were appointed after the last Plenary to steer the regional activities include Bishop Thomas Osman of Barentu, Eritrea, Bishop Joseph Anthony Zziwa of Kiyinda-Mityana, Uganda, Archbishop Michael Didi Adgum Mangoria of Khartoum Sudan, Bishops Rogath Kimaryo of Same, Tanzania, Archbishop George Tambala of Lilongwe, Malawi, Archbishop Alick Banda of Lusaka, Zambia, Bishop Noel Seyoum Fransua, Vicar Apostolic of Hossana Vicariate Ethiopia and Archbishop Maurice Muhatia Makumba of Kisumu, Kenya.
In his opening remarks on Tuesday, October 18, Bishop Kasonde reminded the board members of their obligation during the four year term saying, “Our mandate is a special one much more on the pastoral inclination.”
“We shall deliberate on matters pertaining to the running of the AMECEA family of God comprising all the nations in the region,” he disclosed and added, “We shall be guided by the statutes and the constitution of the Church in the way of running our region and of the plenary from one plenary to the next that is from July 2022-July 2026.”
According to the chairman, the interventions by the members need to resonate with what is happening in all the eight conferences in the region.
“You my brother bishops who are delegates from member episcopal conferences, are the reason to the success of this gathering because you are the direct contact link of the conferences in this meeting to bring issues that are current and concurrent in the way we run our affairs,” Bishop Kasonde expressed highlighting to the new executive board members that the AMECEA administration will assist in the operations.
“We shall be assisted by the administration, guided by the Secretary General through the heads of departments and our institutions,” he disclosed and explained further, “By our manner of operations, our institutions are guided by the university council together with professional men and women in their various fields of expertise and they will also be helping us in the running of our institution.”
As the Board commences the meeting, the Zambian Prelate outlined that the members will go through the 20th plenary resolutions and rededicate themselves on commitment to the actualization of those decisions.
He further noted that other resolutions that were discussed during the business session at the plenary, “will also guide the purpose to run the affairs, and we shall ensure that the two set of resolutions are implemented in time and given due purpose for our recourse.”
The Prelate asked members to always be keen on the concerns from the conferences saying, “As link persons from the conferences, you shall be coming up with the current issues from the countries in order to help us build on the agenda and find better ways of leading the region.”
Giving reference to the scriptures that the harvest is plentiful and more coworkers are needed to serve on behalf of the Lord, the chairman encouraged the new board to continue praying for each other for the success of the mission and mandate they have been given.
“We can do this as we ask for the intercession of our mother Mary who accompanies us in this special call just as she accompanied her child who is our Lord and Master who has given us the task to lead our brothers in the episcopate in the AMECEA family,” he concluded.
