Conflicts in the first Anglican Diocese in Busoga, Uganda 1972 - 2002

This book was developed from a study Rev Dr Tom Kisitu completed in 2002, at the University of Edinburgh, on conflicts in the first Anglican diocese in Busoga, Uganda, between 1972 and 1999. Tom offers a provocative analysis of the causes, developments and effects of these conflicts. He argues that they were not caused by doctrinal differences, but by a combination of many disagreements and divisions, some of which were multi-faceted and sparked by ‘petty’ issues or events. He shows how these conflicts underscored the presence, in the church, of ambiguity and contradiction. He describes how Christians took their differences and concerns so personally that they deemed it necessary to resort to emotional or physical violence. He narrates how the final conflict (aka the Busoga Crisis) was settled and demonstrates the general failure of conflicting groups and third parties, in the Church of Uganda, to prevent or resolve disputes through proper, constructive and reconciliatory measures. Tom ends with a discussion on lessons learnt and suggests ways of preventing the occurrence of further conflicts or, if they occur, resolving them using constructive and reconciliatory measures.