Yona Okoth (1926–2001) was an

Anglican Anglicanism, also known as Episcopalianism in some countries, is a Western Christianity, Western Christian tradition which developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the ...

archbishop In Christian denominations, an archbishop is a bishop of higher rank or office. In most cases, such as the Catholic Church, there are many archbishops who either have jurisdiction over an ecclesiastical province in addition to their own archdi ...

in Uganda. Okoth was born in Maundo Village,Nagongera,Tororo District Eastern Uganda and was educated at

Buwalasi Theological College Buwalasi Theological College is an Anglican educational institution in Mbale, Uganda. The first principal was Canon John McDonald. Notable faculty * Keith Russell * Erisa Masaba Notable alumni * Geresom Ilukor * Yona Okoth Yona Okoth (1926 ...

;Episcopal Archives website, ''Okoth to Succeed as Ugandan Archbishop'', article dated November 10, 1983
/ref> he was ordained a priest in 1955 and attended St. Augustine College, Canterbury, England in 1963, where he graduated with a diploma in theology. In 1966, he studied at Wycliffe College at Toronto University, Canada, where he received a Licentiate in Theology. He served in Mbale diocese (where he was Diocesan Treasurer) and was appointed Provincial Secretary of the then Church of Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Boga-Zaire in 1965. He was also Provincial Secretary of the

Anglican Church of Uganda The Church of Uganda (C/U) is a member province of the Anglican Communion. Currently, there are 37 dioceses that make up the Church of Uganda, each headed by a bishop. Each diocese is divided into archdeaconries, each headed by a senior priest k ...

from 1965 to 1972 when he was appointed

Bishop of Bukedi The Anglican dioceses of Eastern Uganda are the Anglican presence in (roughly) the Eastern Region, Uganda; they are part of the Church of Uganda. The remaining dioceses of the Church are in the areas of Buganda, of Northern Uganda, of Ankole an ...

. In 1977, he left Uganda and went into self-exile to the United States out of frustration during the rule of dictator Idi Amin; during this time, he read for a Doctor of Divinity degree at Wycliffe College. He was consecrated

archbishop of Uganda The Anglican ecclesiastical province of Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi was formed in 1961 following the division of the diocese of Uganda the previous year. In 1960, the Diocese of Uganda was separated and in 1961 the smaller dioceses made a separate ...

Archives of the Anglican Church of Uganda
/ref> in 1984 and was in office until 1995.

Family

He was married with nine children.

References

20th-century Anglican bishops in Uganda 20th-century Anglican archbishops Bulwalasi Theological College alumni Uganda Christian University alumni Anglican bishops of Bukedi 1926 births 2001 deaths {{Uganda-Anglican-bishop-stub