ECS Diocese Yambio Elects Visionary Area Bishops for Nadiangere and Gangura With a Focus on Service and Unity 

By Jackson Gaaniko

In a landmark event on Saturday, July 27, 2024, the ECS Committee in Yambio, Western Equatoria State, paved the way for new beginnings by electing esteemed leaders to oversee the Nadiangere and Gangura dioceses. Rev. Judith Reuben Nangbondo emerged as the Area Bishop for Nadiangere Diocese, while Rev. Enoka Elinama Sungunaimiro assumed the mantle as the Area Bishop for Gangura Diocese.

Archbishop Samuel Enosa Peni announced the dynamic leadership structure for the Nadiangere Diocese, appointing Rev. Joseph Bandare as the Diocesan Secretary and Rev. John Timon as the Dean, alongside youth leaders, women leaders, and an evangelism coordinator. For the Gangura Diocese, Kenon Kumbo Nicholas Kumbo Elisa was tasked with leading Gangura Cathedral, with Rev. Simon Philip Atiyo as the Diocesan Secretary and Joice Bage as the women’s leader. These newly elected leaders are set to serve for one year, with the potential for full independence from the Yambio Diocese contingent upon their performance.

In a display of camaraderie and support, Archbishop Samuel Enosa Peni congratulated the new bishops during the election at Timbiro Cathedral Church in Yambio, urging them to embody servant leadership and assuring them of confirmed responsibilities and rights within the Yambio Diocese if they prove their mettle.

Hon. John Nambazia stressed the imperative for the area bishops to prioritize regional development, Christian unity, and the dissemination of God’s teachings, emphasizing the call to be true servants of God. Maj. General Mande Enoka, serving as the Diocesan Chancellor for Yambio Diocese and Provincial Chancellor for the Episcopal Church of South Sudan in Juba, offered counsel on servant leadership and the paramount importance of leading with the word of God.

The congregation, comprising over a hundred devout followers, witnessed this auspicious occasion at Timbiro Cathedral Church in Yambio, underscoring the significance and reverence accorded to the elections.

Nadiangere—a region situated 105 miles away from Yambio town—has long awaited the stewardship of bishops for administering baptisms, Holy Communion, imparting religious education to children, and bestowing blessings upon all. This visionary initiative, initiated by Peter Munde Yakobo in 2013, reflects a strategic move to elevate five dioceses, including Nadiangere, Gangura, Duk Paduat in Jonglei State, one in Western Bahr el Ghazal State, and another diocese from a different part of South Sudan, underscoring a commitment to expansion and spiritual development.