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Pope Francis Appoints New Local Ordinaries for Burundi’s Bubanza and Rutana Catholic Dioceses

Jude Atemanke

By Jude Atemanke

Rubanza, 17 February, 2025 / 9:41 pm (ACI Africa).

Pope Francis has appointed Mons. Emmanuel Ntakarutimana and Mons. Léonidas Nitereka Bishops for the Burundian Catholic Dioceses of Bubanza and Rutana respectively.

The latest administrative changes in the landlocked country in the Great Rift Valley at the junction between the African Great Lakes region and Southeast Africa were made public on February 15 by the Holy See Press Office.

The Diocese of Bubanza, where Bishop Georges Bizimana of Burundi’s Ngozi Diocese has been serving as Apostolic Administrator became vacant in April 2023 following the retirement of 77-year-old Bishop Jean Ntagwarara. 

Born in December 1956, Mons. Ntakarutimana has been serving as the Coordinator of the Council for the Creation of the Catholic University of Burundi. The member of the Order of Preachers (OP/Dominicans) was ordained a Priest in August 1987 after completing his Priestly formation and studies.

As a Priest, he has served as a lecturer of Fundamental Theology at the John Paul II Major Seminary in Gitega and Secretary of the Episcopal Commission for Justice and Peace.

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He also served as Advisor to the Superior and Coordinator for Africa of his Religious Order, Coordinator of the Ubuntu Center for the Promotion of Peace and Reconciliation in Bujumbura, and Director of the Office of the Bishops' Conference for Evangelization.

Once Consecrated Bishop, Mons. Ntakarutimana will Shepherd the Diocese of Rubanza, which measures 2,700 square kilometres, according to 2020 statistics. The Diocese has an estimated Catholic population of 469,091.

Meanwhile, until his Episcopal appointment for Rutana Diocese, Mons. Nitereka has been serving, since 2010, as the Vicar General of Burundi’s Bururi Catholic Diocese and Director of the Pastoral Office. 

Rutana Diocese has been vacant since February 2022 when Archbishop Bonaventure Nahimana was transferred to Burundi’s Catholic Archdiocese of Gitega.

The 64-year-old native of Bururi Diocese was ordained a Priest in August 1986. Since then, he has served in various capacities including, Chaplain of secondary schools in his native Diocese,  Parish Priest of Murago, and Diocesan Bursar.

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The holder of a Doctorate in Anthropological Theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome also served as Rector of Buta Minor Seminary and President of the Clergy of Bururi.

Once Consecrated Bishop, Mons. Nitereka will oversee Rutana Diocese, which measures 2,180 km² with an estimated population of 254,798 Catholics, representing 34.4 percent of the population, according to 2022 statistics.

Jude Atemanke

Jude Atemanke is a Cameroonian journalist with a passion for Catholic Church communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Buea in Cameroon. Currently, Jude serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.

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