Kagera Link Diocese

One of the joys of the Anglican church is its network of companionship links with other Anglican churches around the world. Through these links we explore our shared faith and develop friendships and understanding of different countries and cultures. We believe that being linked with others will enable the people of God in our Dioceses to be more fruitful as followers of Jesus, in the power of the Spirit, for the sake of the Kingdom of God. We aim to develop Companion Link Relationships of equal partners between our Dioceses which are enriching, mutual, sustainable, and practical.

Our diocese has been linked with the Diocese of Kagera in north-west Tanzania since 1994. It is one of the most beautiful and inaccessible regions of the country and many of the population are subsistence farmers, living on less than £1.50 a day. In recent years rains have become unpredictable, leading to crop failures and food shortages.

In the midst of this poverty, Kagera Diocese has grown rapidly and two new dioceses have been created. In 2006 the Diocese of Lweru was formed and in 2017 the Diocese of Biharamulo came into being. In July 2024 Bishop Darlington Bendankeha of Kagera, Bishop Godfrey Mbelwe of Lweru, Bishop Vithalis Yusuph of Biharamulo and Bishop Martin Seeley of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich signed a Memorandum of Understanding to ensure the link between all four dioceses is officially recognised and nurtured. Through the link, the four dioceses aim to:

listen to each other and pray for each other
learn from each other and challenge one another
strengthen evangelism and discipleship in the Christian Communities of all Dioceses
increase awareness among us of our solidarity in the cause of Christ as part of a global church
respect and learn about and from each other’s cultural heritage and so to see our own culture more clearly

Bishop Darlington of Kagera writes “Our Dioceses have been enjoying this partnership with a lot of experiences through friendship, understanding, praying, learning and sharing. Kagera Diocese is grateful to be in partnership with our brothers and sisters in the Diocese of St. Edmundsbury & Ipswich. We hope that God will continue to make our people from both dioceses to enjoy and celebrate all blessings that come as the result of us being together in the mission of God.”

What can I do?

Pray	We have daily prayers included in our Prayer Diary available here. Form a Kagera group in your area to pray and support together.
Learn more	You could invite a speaker to your church or group please email us to find a suitable date.
Financial support	Host a fundraising event and donate funds to the Diocesan funds please see below.
Visit Kagera	Please email us to learn more about trips to Kagera.

Giving to Kagera

Financial support is not the main aim of the link, but the Diocese of Kagera has very limited resources. Pastors and church leaders sometimes go without pay. In Kagera Pastors and Lay Evangelists not only lead their churches in lively worship and biblical teaching, but also enable development projects which build self-sufficiency in the communities. Our diocese sends financial support to Kagera on a regular basis. As well as a General Fund we maintain separate accounts to support: