‘He loved the Martyrs’: MPs reflect on Pope Francis’ legacy

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Members of Parliament from Mbarara city, Buhweju and Isingiro districts, have joined the rest of the world in mourning Pope Francis, who passed away on Easter Monday.

Francis Mwijukye, MP for Buhweju, who met Pope Francis four times since 2017, described him as a simple, humble, and down-to-earth leader who had great love for all people.

Francis Mwijukye, MP for Buhweju, during one of his visits to Pope Francis. (Courtesy)

Mwijukye said he believed Pope Francis followed in the footsteps of Jesus Christ and St Francis of Assisi, praising him as a peacemaker.

“You saw the way he kissed the feet of the President of South Sudan and Vice President – that could only be done by Jesus Christ. There are not many religious leaders who can do that, we will miss him and may his soul rest in peace,” Mwijukye recalled.

He said news of the Pope’s passing found him in Buhweju, in a village called Bwooga, where he had gone to visit orphans and help facilitate their enrolment in school.

“I have personally met the Pope four times, and every time I met him and I introduced myself and said Francis from Uganda, Pope would ask me how the land of martyrs is. It is that question that made me continue believing more in the Uganda Martyrs,” Mwijukye stated.

Francis Mwijukye, MP for Buhweju, during one of his visits to Pope Francis. (Courtesy)

He added that the Pope’s devotion to the Uganda Martyrs inspired him to make an annual pilgrimage to Namugongo, touched by the reverence and emotion Pope Francis expressed towards them.

Isingiro South MP, Alex Bakunda Byarugaba, said the death of Pope Francis had robbed the world of a deeply compassionate man—humane, down-to-earth, steadfast in his faith, unifying, and devoted to serving humanity across all ages, religions, and tribes.

Ritah Bwahika Atukwatse, Woman MP for Mbarara city, praised Pope Francis for his inter-denominational efforts to promote peace and unity, which he demonstrated by visiting countries previously unvisited by any pope.

Atukwatse described Pope Francis as a leader of great humility who loved all people.

“It is a sad day to hear sad news of the death of Pope Francis, but we thank the Lord for giving us Pope Francis. He has served us well for these many years, he has even served further when he was not well,” Atukwatse stated.

She was among the legislators from the International Catholic Legislators Network who made a pilgrimage to Rome in 2021 and received a blessing from Pope Francis.

“In 2021, after COVID, when we went, everyone was sceptical whether Pope Francis would meet us physically. But to our wonder, when Pope entered the room, he removed the mask, he greeted us by shaking hands, and he blessed and touched us. That was a gesture of great humility as a leader of that level,” she stated.

She called on people around the world to learn from Pope Francis and seek God equally.