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Glorious things continue to be spoken of the Archbishop Emeritus of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Mbarara Paul Bakyenga. 

The prelate is being buried today at Nyamitanga Cathedral. His admirers mainly marvel at his passionate commitment to holistic evangelism. 

As a formator of priests at the Grand National Major Seminary of Katigondo and later at St. Mary’s National Seminary Ggaba, Bakyenga never ceased to explain to his students (seminarians/future priests) the holistic nature of the ministry of Jesus, which provided effective solutions to the spiritual and material needs of the people.

He then practically demonstrated his conviction in holistic evangelisation during his episcopate by promoting vocations to priesthood and religious life, by spearheading the establishment of educational institutions, such as Nyamitanga Business Institute, the University of St Joseph (Nyamitanga), Holy Innocents Children’s Hospital (Nyamitanga), the Pecamega Petrol Station on the Mbarara-Ntungamo highway and several other projects. 

But among his many attributes, the association of Catholics in the Archdiocese of Mbarara stands out. 

In his flamboyant quest for the unity of his Christians, Bakyenga gave invaluable support and goodwill for the Archdiocese of Mbarara Development Association (AMDA). 

AMDA is an umbrella association that unites all Catholics that hail from Mbarara Archdiocese living and working in Kampala and the surrounding areas, such as Mukono, Mpigi Entebbe, Jinja and Wakiso. 

The organisation’s chairperson, Chris Gumisiriza, spoke passionately about the prelate. 

“Archbishop Bakyenga was a super champion of unity. He is actually the one who sold us the idea of forming AMDA. 

He basically wanted his Christians who live and work in Kampala and its neighbourhood to have a unifier association that brings them together and helps them to support each other spiritually and materially,” Gumisiriza said.

He further revealed that after successfully championing the formation of the association, Archbishop Bakyenga recognised it as a mobile parish and appointed a chaplain for the members. 

He later donated to the association the plot in Rubaga, which his predecessor, Bishop John Baptist Kakubi (RIP) had bought for the diocese so that they could develop it as their headquarters. 

“Archbishop Bakyenga himself led the fundraising drive. The project has been moving on well and we are actually at the completion stage. The complex has a provision for a multi-purpose hall, offices, a presbytery and other facilities,” Gumisiriza added. 

He said Bakyenga also encouraged them to use the association to support the underprivileged people in their home parishes, and also, to address socio-economic issues, such as poverty, illiteracy and environmental degradation, among others. 

AMDA currently stands on 7 pillars of unity, spiritual development, leadership development, economic empowerment, education, health and environmental protection. 

Bakyenga’s passion for unity and holistic development was also acknowledged by ecumenical religious leaders, such as Rev. Canon Bobs Nathan Mwesigye (the dean of St. James Cathedral, Ruharo), Sheikh Abdallah Mukwaya (the district kadhi of Mbarara) and Bishop Siras Tayebwa (the regional overseer of Greater Ankole National Fellowship of Born-Again Pentecostal Churches of Uganda).

Penetration of Nyabushozi  

Archbishop Bakyenga is credited for the Catholic Church’s first thrust into the predominantly Anglican regions of Kazo and Kiruhura districts. 

These were traditional Bahima areas, which adopted the Omugabe’s religion, Anglican Protestantism. 

There was no Catholic presence until Bakyenga ventured into the area to evangelise the population for converts and pastor the few Catholics who had migrated into the area.

 Today, the area has three Catholic parishes, Catholic-founded schools and health centres. 

The parishes include St. Paul Kazo, which started in 1990 and is being run by the diocesan priests and Evangelising sisters of Mary. 

There is St. Peter Kitura, which started in 2002 and is run by the diocesan priests. 

There is also Rushere parish, which started in 2000 and is being run by the Comboni Missionaries.

Promoter of the Bible ministry  

During his priestly studies in Scotland, Archbishop Bakyenga specialised in Bible Studies and Scripture. 

When he was at St. Mary’s National Seminary Ggaba, he was a Professor of Scripture. 

He participated in the ecumenical translations of the Bible to Runyankole and remained an ardent promoter of the ministry of the Bible Society of Uganda till his death.

A charistic preacher 

The archbishop will always be remembered as a talented preacher who always employed humorous statements and examples to hook his congregation and enable them understand and internalise his messages. One of his former students at Ggaba National Seminary made this observation about him: “He was my Rector at Ggaba a couple of years before his episcopal appointment. He was a personification of humour. He would make us laugh throughout the lecture. 

The Rector’s Talk had also become a time for us to have fun with him. He had that gift of relating and appealing to all people. He knew how to talk to the educated, the uneducated, the rich, the poor, the young, the old.”

Mission unaccomplished  

Upon his elevation to the episcopate (1989), Bakyenga promised to prepare or spearhead the creation of Bushenyi diocese, a pledge he has not been able to deliver despite the great effort he has made.

A devotte of St. John Paul II 

During his episcopate, Bakyenga exhibited great devotion to St. Pope John Paul II, who appointed him Bishop of Mbarara. 

Even when he started suffering from serious diabetes complications, he continued to do pastoral work. 

This was in clear imitation of St. John Paul II, who sustained his papacy even when he became seriously incapacitated by Parkinson’s disease. 

A hymn for Archibishop Bakyenga  

Firmly I believe and Truly (Drake’s Broughton from ‘the dream of Gerontius’ - Sir Edward Elgar (1857 -1934), Saint John Henry Newman (1801-1890)

Firmly I believe and truly God is three, and God is one; And I next acknowledge duly Manhood taken by the Son. 

And I trust and hope most fully In that Manhood crucified; And each thought and deed unruly Do to death, as he has died. 

Simply to His grace and wholly Light and life and strength belong, And I love supremely, solely, Him the holy, him the strong. 

And I hold in veneration, For the love of him alone, Holy Church as his creation, And her teachings as his own. Adoration be given, With and through the angelic host, To the God of earth and heaven, Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen.

Crusader of justice

Archbishop Paul Bakyenga has also been generally respected as a nationalistic and practical crusader of justice and peace. 

This was influenced by the historical religious discrimination that Ankole had suffered during the successive political regimes. 

Many Catholics in the region have felt that their Protestant colleagues have been favoured in political leadership positions. 

This exclusion of the Roman Catholics is also reflected in civil and corporate leadership positions. 

Archbishop Bakyenga has often found himself in the forefront to present the Catholic complaints to President Museveni to have the injustices addressed. 

In fact, he has been suffering in the same way as Moses did because, on several occasions, there was criticism from some radical Catholics that he was not engaging the current leadership with firmness. 

But much as he has not succeeded in ending the political culture of discrimination against Catholics in Ankole, Bakyenga is appreciated by many people for mobilising the Catholics into development ventures.