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STATEMENT OF AMECEA
EXECUTIVE BOARD
- September 8th, 2006
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- 1.0 To our brother, bishops, priests, religious and all God’s people in
AMECEA countries (Eritrea, Ethiopia, Malawi, Kenya, Tanzania, Sudan, Uganda,
Zambia and the affiliated members of Somalia and Djibouti) “Grace and peace
from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you” (Rom 1:7-8).
- We, AMECEA patrons, members of AMECEA executive board, AMECEA heads of
institutions and departments, gathered here in Nairobi from 4th to 5th
September 2006 for a seminar on Good Governance and Implementation of AMECEA
Pastoral Resolutions at Lenana Conference Center in Nairobi, Kenya. This
seminar was followed by our Executive Board meeting at AMECEA Secretariat
from 6th to 7th September 2006. We wish to share with you some of the issues
we discussed during the seminar and meeting.
- 2.0 In the spirit of collegiality and solidarity, the Board Members send
congratulatory messages to our brothers: His Eminence Emmanuel Cardinal
Wamala who retired as Archbishop of Kampala, the New Archbishop of Kampala
His Grace Cyprian Kizito Lwanga, new bishops, Rt. Rev. Beatus Kinyaiya OFM
Cap, Mbulu Diocese, Tanzania; Rt. Rev Sabino Odoki Auxiliary Bishop of Gulu
Archdiocese, Uganda; Most Rev. Anthony Mayala Apostolic Administrator of
Diocese of Musoma; Rt. Rev Philip Sulumenti Kakamega, Kenya, celebrating his
40th Anniversary in priesthood. We also send our condolences to Archbishop
Anthony Mayala, Apostolic Administrator, and the people of the Diocese of
Musoma on the death of their Bishop Rt. Rev Justin Samba.
- 3.0 In view of meeting pastoral challenges and fulfilling the prophetic
mission within the AMECEA region, the patrons, board members, incorporating
heads of the association’s institutions and departments, appreciated the
pastoral and spiritual values which formed the foundation and driving force
for the past successes of AMECEA. We have identified and recommend the
following aspects as being important in implementing the AMECEA resolutions.
The basic and underlying conviction is that it is through faith, love,
charity and sacrifices that the spirit of cooperation and collaboration
among the pastoral agents in the Family of God within the AMECEA region will
lead to sustainability of AMECEA’s vision, mission and mandate, taking into
consideration both past and present issues and concerns.
- 4.0 During the seminar, we emphasized the need to establish and nurture
good leadership in the region. We believe that successful implementation of
AMECEA resolutions will greatly depend on forming leaders with basic faith
and trust attitude, having clear vision, mission and objectives to be
achieved. There is need for leaders capable of listening and involving
pastoral agents in a development agenda for both human and financial
resources.
- 5.0 We call upon all bishops and other pastoral agents in the region to
work towards the establishment of instruments for monitoring and evaluation
via transparency and mutual trust. This is in view of making immediate
follow-up and ensuring fast and appropriate implementation of plenary
resolutions.
- 6.0 After listening to the presentation on the cursory look at AMECEA
vision, mission and mandate, and the challenges we face in implementing
AMECEA resolutions, we found it necessary to mandate the AMECEA Secretariat
to organize induction and orientation programmes for new bishops, board
members, chairmen of conferences, heads of AMECEA institutions and
department within the AMECEA region so as to recapture the vision, mission
and mandate of AMECEA within the spirit of the Founding Fathers.
- 7.0 In view of implementing AMECEA resolutions, we resolved that there
is need to prioritize and strengthen the concern, cooperation and
collaboration among AMECEA institutions. We decided to give AMECEA
institutions the mandate to corporate responsibility in the implementation
of AMECEA resolutions. We further request AMECEA institutions starting with
Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) to contribute generously by
offering their expertise as the think tank for the development of AMECEA.
- 8.0 After realizing the urgent need to implement pending and forthcoming
pastoral concerns, including preparations for the Second African Synod of
Bishops, we resolved to request CUEA’s Pastoral Department to be the
immediate convener for pastoral coordination at AMECEA level. We appeal to
AMECEA bishops and religious congregations working in AMECEA with competent,
committed and experienced people to be generous and offer their people to
fill the post of Pastoral Coordinator at AMECEA Secretariat.
- 9.0 During the seminar and Executive Board meeting, we discussed at
length on the need to promote Fundraising and Sustainability of AMECEA
Secretariat and Pastoral Activities. In view of this, we call for
- 9.1 The commitment of all AMECEA bishops to paying statutory
contributions on time through Conference membership.
- 9.2 Revisiting and focusing on the mandate of conference delegates
to the board to be involved in fundraising and reminding member
Conferences to support Secretariat activities.
- 9.3 Encouragement and enforcement of accountability and
transparency, including the AMECEA Secretariat forwarding audited report
to the Conferences.
- 9.4 Whenever appropriate, bishops will be called upon to fundraise
for specific programmes.
- 9.5 Fundraising activities with emphasis on local support. There is
a need of popularising AMECEA and its contribution to the wider family
of God within the region.
- 9.6 AMECEA to learn how to fundraise in today’s globalisation
setting, including inviting partners to workshop and seminars so that
they get the feel of AMECEA’s progress and future needs.
- 9.7 AMECEA to seriously work towards establishment of well studied,
researched, appropriate and manageable income generating activities in
view of sustaining pastoral activities and fulfilling of prophetic role
within the Region.
- 10.0 Realising the importance of interactive communication and
networking, we resolved to recommend the following:
- 10.1 Adopting of an interactive way of reporting from AMECEA to
Conferences and vice versa.
- 10.2 Strengthening communication between the AMECEA Secretariat and
Secretaries General of Member Conferences.
- 10.3 Chairman, Secretary General and Members of Executive Board to
visit each others’ Conferences.
- 10.4 Conference Delegates to the Board to give reports during the
Executive Board meeting on prevailing situations and concerns of AMECEA
in their respective Conferences hence report back to the Board the
concerns/situations of the Conferences.
- 10.5 The AMECEA Communication Department to compile and disseminate
information on websites with valuable information which need to be
shared from Institutions and Conferences within the Region.
- 10.6 AMECEA Institutions to inform regularly the Member Conferences
on what programmes are going on and their particular needs.
- 11.0 In view of the preparation of the 16th Plenary Assembly to be held
in Zambia in 2008, the Executive Board resolved that the theme proposed by
Zambia Episcopal Conference is suitable and timely for giving prophetic
responses to the situations within AMECEA Region. The theme will be framed
along the line of three key values “Justice, Reconciliation and Peace”, and
be proposed to Member Conferences for adoption. We call upon the conferences
that have other themes to propose, and those confirming the theme to send
their views to AMECEA Secretariat before the end of the year 2006.
- 12.0 Having gone through the journey AMECEA has made for the last 45
years, as members of AMECEA Executive Board, we feel a sense of renewed
commitment in our desire to continue servicing AMECEA. We call upon all our
Brother Bishops, all Pastoral Agents and all members of the Family of God in
AMECEA to make a renewed commitment and contribute to the growth of AMECEA
Secretariat and Institutions and implementation of AMECEA Plenary
Resolutions.
- We would like to thank all our benefactors and partners for their
contributions and continued support to the development and implement of
AMECEA Pastoral Resolutions.
- May Mary Mother of Church, whose Birthday we celebrate today on 8th
September, pray for AMECEA and all of us.
- Signed. September 8, 2006
- Most Rev. Paul Bakyenga, Archbishop of Mbarara, Uganda, Chairman of
AMECEA
- His Eminence Polycarp Cardinal Pengo, Archbishop of Dar es Salaam,
Patron of AMECEA
- Most Rev. Ndingi Mwana a’ Nzeki, Archbishop of Nairobi, Chairman of
AMECEA Finance Committee
- Most Rev. Berhaneyesus Souraphiel, Archbishop of Addis Ababa Delegate of
Ethiopia/Eritrea
- Rt. Rev. Paul Kalanda, Bishop Emeritus of Fort Portal, Delegate of
Uganda
- Rt. Rev. Philip Sulumenti, Bishop of Kakamega, Substitute Delegate of
Kenya
- Rt. Rev Joseph Zuza, Bishop of Mzuzu, Delegate of Malawi
- Rt. Rev. Andrew A. Andrew Chrisha, Bishop of Njombe, Representative of
Zambia
- Rt. Rev Alfred Maluma, Bishop of Njombe, Delegate of Tanzania
- Rt. Rev. Daniel Adwok, Auxiliary Bishop of Khartoum, Delegate of Sudun
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