AFRICA/BURUNDI - Erection of the Diocese of Rutana and appointment of first Bishop

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – The Holy Father Benedict XVI, on January 17, 2009, erected the new diocese of Rutana (area 2,180, population 378,387, Catholics 168,160, priests 23, religious 30) Burundi, with territory taken from the dioceses of Bururi and Ruyigi, making it a suffragan of the metropolitan church of Gitega. He appointed Fr. Bonaventure Nahimana, rector of the major inter-diocesan seminary of Burasira, and Secretary of the Bishops' Commission for Vocations and Seminaries as first bishop of the new diocese.
The bishop-elect was born in Gisebuzi on June 3, 1959, belonging to the parish of Giheta, Archdiocese of Gitega. Following primary school in Giheta, he entered the Minor Seminary in Mugera, one year later attending regular school in Gitega.
He later studied at the el Séminaire Moyen in Burasira. In 1979, he entered the Interdiocesan Major Seminary of Burasira for studies in Philosophy and Theology, which he finished in 1986, earning a Bachelor's Degree in Theology. On August 10, 1986, he was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Gitega. He has since ministered as follows: 1986: Prefect of Studies at the Minor Seminary of the Diocese of Mugera; 1986-1998: Diocesan Vocations Director; 1987: Parish pastor in Mugera; 1988-1993: professor at the Minor Seminary of the Diocese of Mugera; 1993-1995: Diocesan Director of Catholic Education; 1995-1998: Rector of the Diocesan Major Seminary of Mugera; 1998-2001: Studies at the Institut en Sciences Pédagogiques et Religieuses in Abidjan, in Ivory Coast, earning a Licentiate in Educational Studies; 2001-2002: Spiritual Director at the Interdiocesan Major Seminary of Burasira. Since 2002, he has served as Rector of the Interdiocesan Major Seminary of Burasira and Secretary of the Bishops' Commission for Vocations and Seminaries. (S.L) (Agenzia Fides 20/1/2009)