The Ordinary Bishop of Butembo-Beni diocese in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo Rt.Rev.Melchizedec Sikuli Paluku visited Kasese Catholic diocese on the 3rd July 2023. The Bishop had come for a pastoral visit in Kasindi Parish that borders the catholic diocese of Kasese. After confirmation in Kasindi parish, the Bishop used the Ugandan route to cross to Bwisela parish in the DR. Congo that neighbors with the district of Bundibugyo on Ugandan side. The Bishop said this was the easiest and safest route through Uganda due to the war instabilities. In his remarks during the holy sacrifice of Mass at Kasese Cathedral Parish, Bishop Sikuli informed the Christians how he had finished a period of 15 years without visiting Bwisela parish in the Eastern Parts of DR.Congo due war instabilities.
On that same day during Mass, the Rt.Rev. Melchizedec Sikuli invited the ordinary Bishop of the Diocese of Kasese Rt.Rev. Francis Akwirinus Kambale together with the Christian community for his episcopal silver jubilee that will take place on the 11th August 2023 at the diocesan headquarters of Butembo Beni. He further revealed that the war in Eastern parts of Congo started on the day of his episcopal ordination adding that seven priests have been abducted by the ADF rebel group on top of several Christians who have been killed and abducted. This implies that the DR Congo has been in war for the last 25 years.
The Host Bishop of the diocese of Kasese challenged the Christians to impress with gratitude the peace they are enjoying and asked them to utilize the peace for development programs. He further asked the Christians to pray for peace in the entire region of Congo and Uganda as a whole since the ADF had attacked students in a Ugandan school.
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Butembo-Beni is a diocese located in the cities of Butembo and Beni in the Ecclesiastical province of Bukavu in the Democratic Republic of Congo.