The diocese of Jinja covered a civic area then known as Busoga. It stretches from Lake Victoria in the South, Lake Kyoga in the North, River Nile in the West and River Mpologoma in the North East, making Busoga almost an Island.
This diocese was originally part of the Vicariate of the Upper Nile and later, of the Diocese of Kampala. It was first evangelized by the Mill Hill Missionaries from 1899 on-wards after a short-lived attempt by a couple of Missionaries of Africa (1889-1890).
On the 5th of August 1966 the new Diocese of Jinja was created, being cut off from the former Diocese of Kampala and the See of the latter being transferred to Jinja.
The Catholic Diocese of Jinja operates in Eleven (11) civic districts namely: Jinja, Iganga, Kamuli, Buyende, Kaliro, Bugiri, Namutumba, Namayingo, Bugweri, Mayuge and Luuka districts; and Four(4) developing municipalities namely: Jinja, Iganga, Kamuli and Bugiri, a coverage area with the core purpose of Evangelization and integral and holistic teaching to the contemporary communities that would eventually benefit all religions in the area depending on the matters being handled at each time. These districts are situated at the same time in the different parishes of the diocese.
They are the following: Jinja cathedral, Kagoma, Kakira, Buluba, Kyebando, Nankoma, Bugaya, Kiyunga, Kyebando, Iganga, Itanda, Budini, Irundu, Wesunire, Kamuli, Namwendwa, Nawanyago, Namirali, Namunyumya, Busowa, Buswale, Kalamira and Buluguyi. Forthcoming are Bukoba, Balawoli, Busiro and Kidera, the last two already anounced to be parishes.
Among the languages in the area represented would be The Basoga (with all their dialects) as the main predominant population in the diocese, Samya areas mainly to the east of the diocese, and all the others especially from the surrounding districts like Buyikwe Kayunga (in Buganda), Soroti, Tororo, Busia and many others from the rest of Uganda.
Details:
AREA 8917 Sq. Kilometers
POPULATION 2,874,704
CATHOLIC POPULATION 683,839 [23.79%]
PARISHES 25 [To increase soon as more new parishes are being opened]
TRAINED CATECHISTS 220
MISSIONARY SISTERS 48
MISSIONARY BROTHERS 9
UNTRAINED CATECHISTS 570
UGANDAN REV BROTHERS 7
UGANDAN REV SISTERS 116
PRIESTS 77 (plus )
MISSIONARIES PRIEST 37
(According to UEC secretariat statistics 2018)
