Kampala — PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni has urged the Church to actively promote government programmes for development, reports Darious Magara.

He said as the Church takes care of the spiritual wellbeing of her congregation and the community, their social-economic status must also be addressed.

The message was contained in Museveni's speech read on Sunday to the congregation at the consecration of the new bishop of Kabale Diocese, Callist Rubaramira, 53.

He replaces Bishop Robert Mary Gay who has served the diocese since 1994.

The diocese oversees Kabale Kanungu, Rukungiri and Kisoro districts.

The 3rd Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Service, Henry Kajura, represented Museveni.

"Your work as the Church must be to embrace education for our children, proper nutrition, healthcare, security and freedom from poverty," Museveni said.

Rubaramira, who hails from Rubira in Rushoroza parish, is said to be among the best lawn tennis players in the district. He thanked God for making him a priest, which vocation he joined in 1969. He pledged to implement the vision God has given him.

Museveni hailed the Church for promoting education and asked it to support adult education, UPE, and to take advantage of African Growth and Opportunities Act by mobilising the masses to increase export production and to improve the quality of the produce to meet the required standards.

Emanuel Cardinal Wamala, the Archibishop of Kampala, Archbishop Christophe Pierre, the Apostolic Nuncio in Uganda, and several bishops, some from Burundi, Tanzania and Rwanda, graced the occasion.

Some bishops from the Anglican Church also attended.