By REUBEN OLITA
July 25, 2026| Teso North MP Oku Kaunya has dismissed the legal bid to block Ven. Dr. Vitalis Job Ekuru’s consecration as the fourth Bishop of ACK Katakwa Diocese, calling it an ill-conceived and unjustified move.
The petition, filed by a group of youths from the diocese, sought to stop the July 26 consecration ceremony on grounds that the election process that produced Dr. Ekuru as the bishop-elect was flawed. The petitioners claimed to be acting on behalf of a third candidate in the race—one who, according to Kaunya, received only two votes out of the 23 cast by the diocesan electoral college.
Speaking after inspecting the venue at Amagoro Comprehensive School, where the ceremony will be held, Kaunya noted that while the youths had every democratic right to seek legal redress, the case was built on a weak foundation. He pointed out that the election followed the procedures laid out in the Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) Constitution, and that the runner-up candidate had formally conceded defeat.
“The election process was transparent. The winning candidate secured the majority of votes, and the second-placed candidate accepted the outcome. The petitioners had no basis at all. I am happy the court found the case baseless and dismissed it with costs, thereby clearing the way for the consecration to proceed without any problem,” he said.
The High Court in Busia struck out the case earlier this week, ruling that the petitioners had failed to establish a prima facie case and ordering them to pay costs—a decision that Kaunya said validated the integrity of the church’s electoral process.
Kaunya urged young people to seek elders’ counsel before taking impulsive action and cautioned leaders against using unemployed youth as political pawns, warning that such tactics could harm the community’s future.
Describing the event as historic, he praised President William Ruto and Uganda’s VP Jessica Alupo for accepting invitations, and called on residents and church faithful to turn out in large numbers for the landmark occasion.