It’s Bad Manners to Compete With Your Grandchildren! Retired Vocal Bishop Tells Off Political Leaders

Renowned for blistering sermons, Dr. Bishop Zarc Niringiye (72) on Sunday spoke to fellow mourners who, in their hundreds, gathered at Nakulabye-based Baptist Church for the vigil of the fallen Pastor John Ekuddu, the ex-Makerere University Dean of Students (1995-2010), who died at the age of 76.

Niringiye called on fellow elders to grow up and behave like elders as opposed to merely demanding to be recognized as such when their actions are contrary to the elderly status they claim. He decried the shrinking prevalence of ‘eldership’ in contemporary Uganda.

Led by the widow Grace Ekuddu, family members chose Zarc Niringiye, a fearless anti-Museveni activist, to be the one to give this special eulogy because he had grown up and closely associated with Ekuddu (his very good friend) for 50 years.

He called out those who consider themselves elders to exhibit genuine eldership by willingly consider ceding space for the younger ones to also get the platform to occupy the space, lead and contribute.

Saying this sort of selfless leadership ought to be exhibited in politics, government and church ministry too, Niringiye said this was of paramount importance because there is no way the young ones will ever get chance to lead and exhibit their great leadership credentials for as long as elders refuse to bow out and leave the stage for them.

He commended Pastor Ekuddu for being exemplary in that he knew when to leave the juicy position he was holding at Makerere University and also the Presidency of Baptist Church Uganda as opposed to waiting to be pushed out. Niringiye, who flew in from Kenya where he works from these days, also had no kind words for some of the Balokole pastors who he castigated for engaging in misleading preaching.