The Church of Uganda has criticised the leadership of Archbishop Justin Welby, who recently stepped down as Archbishop of Canterbury after a report alleged his failure to adequately address child abuse within the Church of England.
In a statement, Archbishop, Dr. Stephen Samuel Kaziimba Mugalu, expressed disappointment in Welby's leadership and highlighted the Church of Uganda's longstanding disapproval.
"Along with other members of Gafcon and the Global South Fellowship of Anglicans, several years ago the Church of Uganda ceased recognizing the authority of Archbishop Justin Welby because of his inability to uphold the historic and Biblical teaching of the Church of England on marriage and family," Kaziimba stated.
The statement follows years of growing tensions between Welby and sections of the Anglican Communion, particularly in Africa, over theological and social issues.
Archbishop Kaziimba cited concerns regarding the church's handling of abuse by the late John Smyth, a prominent Anglican figure accused of long-term child abuse.
Kaziimba expressed grief over the harm suffered by victims, attributing it to what he described as "compromised leadership" that "covered up the abuse, did not uphold the moral teaching of the Bible and the church, and failed to defend the vulnerable."
Kaziimba further asserted that Welby's resignation reflects deeper divisions within the Anglican Communion, which he said has been "torn at its deepest level" due to leadership shortcomings.
"This is the same compromised leadership that has led to the fabric of the Anglican Communion being torn," he said.
He encouraged Anglicans worldwide to seek unity under the Gafcon movement and the Global South Fellowship of Anglicans, organisations he described as the best hope for "reuniting under the authority of Scripture."
During this month, which the Church of Uganda has designated as a focus on child protection, Kaziimba urged the community to "go the extra mile to ensure that children are safe by creating a conducive environment for them to be born, raised, and nurtured."
He quoted Matthew 19:14, reminding believers, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."
The archbishop concluded his message by extending prayers for the Church of England, Archbishop Welby, and the survivors of abuse.
"On behalf of the Church of Uganda, we assure the Church of England of our prayers to lift high the cross of Christ, restore the authority of Scripture, and proclaim the unchanging Gospel in a changing world," he said, also praying for "continued healing for all those who have endured abuse."
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Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, head of the Church of England and spiritual leader of the global Anglican Communion, resigned Tuesday after an investigation found that he failed to tell police about serial physical and sexual abuse by a volunteer at Christian summer camps as soon as he became aware of it.
Pressure on Welby had been building since Thursday, when the archbishop's refusal to accept responsibility for his failure to report the abuse in England and in Africa in 2013 kindled anger about a lack of accountability at the highest reaches of the church. By Tuesday afternoon, Welby acknowledged that mistake.
"It is very clear that I must take personal and institutional responsibility for the long and retraumatizing period between 2013 and 2024," Welby said in the statement announcing his resignation.
"I believe that stepping aside is in the best interests of the Church of England, which I dearly love and which I have been honored to serve,"
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the symbolic head of the Anglican Communion, which has more than 85 million members in 165 countries, including the Episcopal Church in the United States.
While each national church has its own leaders, the Archbishop of Canterbury is considered first among equals.
Welby, a former oil executive who left the industry in 1989 to study for the priesthood, was a controversial figure even before the scandal.
A skilled mediator who has worked to resolve conflicts in Nigeria and elsewhere in Africa, he struggled to unite the Anglican Communion, which has been riven by sharply divergent views on issues such as gay rights and the place of women in the church.
