Archbishop Lwanga: The Catholic prelate who had a sixth sense

April 3rd, 2023 marked exactly two years since the passing of Dr Cyprian Kizito Lwanga, the former archbishop of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Kampala. 

The prelate’s sudden death shocked many Ugandans, particularly those that had seen him participate actively in the ecumenical public Way of the Cross at St Paul’s Cathedral, Namirembe on Good Friday (April 2, 2021). Even after two years of his death and burial in Rubaga Cathedral, Lwanga is still remembered with great love and reverence by many people in Uganda, Africa and other parts of the world. 

He is particularly revered for his extraordinary commitment to development. Lwanga had a deep understanding of Jesus’ teaching — when Jesus said.

 He had come to give people life in its fullness (John 10:10). This scripture strongly influenced Lwanga’s sacerdotal and episcopal ministry. 

He had a unique understanding of the Catholic Church’s evangelistic model that merges spiritual and social development. 

Lwanga had a strong conviction that a human being is both body and soul, which is why the Church has to cater for the spiritual and material needs of its members. 

Catholics have come up with various ways of remembering Archbishop Lwanga and his contribution to the advancement of the Church, the country and humanity.

So, as a priest and later a bishop, Lwanga applied a three-pronged approach. Working together with his Christians, with the help of his friends, as well as his local and international development partners, he built churches, schools and hospitals. 

He sourced bursaries for needy students at all levels of learning. Lwanga started programmes and associations to empower children, the youth, men and women. 

He started church-oriented savings groups such as Weekembe Programme. He sourced scholarships for priests and catechists to do specialised courses. 

He built, renovated and redeveloped the historic sites of the Catholic Church, such as the Uganda Catholic Martyrs’ Shrine at Namugongo and Uganda Martyrs’ Shrine, Munyonyo. 

Working with institutions such as Centenary Bank and development organisations such as Caritas Internationalis, he started poverty eradication programmes that lifted many people out of poverty. He promoted ecumenism and Christian-Muslim co-operation for peace and development. He started sensitisation programmes against gender-based violence. 

Through his homilies, pastoral letters, books and public addresses, Lwanga preached against human rights abuses, violence, political misrule, trafficking, human sacrifice, the oppression/ exploitation of vulnerable people, in particular children and women and other vices. 

He was also an ardent activist who used every platform to sensitise people about environmental conservation.

Developing Luwero  

Lwanga will also be remembered for pioneering the economic recovery of Greater Luwero. Subsequent to his appointment as the first bishop of Kasana-Luwero Diocese (1996), Lwanga traversed his giant diocese, which comprised Luwero, Nakaseke and Nakasongola. 

He was struck by the grave misery of the people, who were then living in acute devastation and ruin caused by the bush war of the 1980s. Lwanga then invited Centenary Bank, which set up a branch at Wobulenzi. 

He then mobilised Christians to form community/village savings groups, through which, with the support of Centenary Bank, they saved/borrowed money and started income-generating projects which uplifted many of them. With the help of Caritas Kasanaensis, Lwanga also encouraged communities to practice organic farming. 

He also twinned Luwero with the American diocese of Trenton. The partnership of the two dioceses helped Lwanga to set up and operate an HIV/ AIDS project, which alleviated the suffering and also gave hope to many people infected/affected by HIV. 

Archbishop Lwanga (centre) cuts cake with the Brothers of Christian Instruction during their religious professions celebration at St Mary’s College Kisubi in 2019.

Lwanga also promoted ecclesial self-reliance by setting up a diocesan self-help fund, Bishop’s Annual Appeal Fund, where individual Christians voluntarily donated any amount of money within their ability. 

The money would then be used to fund the pastoral/ development activities/ programmes of the diocese.

Criticism 

Surprisingly, even with his generally acknowledged sacerdotal/episcopal ministry, Lwanga never escaped from fierce critics. 

His sermons, which oftentimes were laden with condemnations of immorality, corruption, injustices and human rights violations by some members of the security forces, attracted enemies who saw him as a saboteur of the ruling political status quo. 

On the other hand, some radical opposition politicians accused him of hobnobbing with the leaders of the ruling National Resistance Movement, instead of making radical pronouncements against the excesses of the Government. 

This double attack that Lwanga faced proved his balanced sense of judgement, which was observed by Ahmed Kiyaga, a resident of Mukono. “Archbishop Lwanga never kept quiet in the face of injustice, oppression or repression of the vulnerable by the Government. But he also never hesitated to give the Government credit where it was due. He was a fair-minded prelate. He was exemplary even to us the non-Christians.”

Lwanga's memorial events 

Catholics have come up with various ways of remembering Archbishop Lwanga and his contribution to the advancement of the Church, the country and humanity. 

The parishioners of Kyabakadde Catholic parish instituted an annual pilgrimage to the parish church, in commemoration of Lwanga. 

His nephew, Fr Joseph Wamala, has also instituted a memorial lecture for the prelate. 

Lwanga's sixth sense

Archbishop Lwanga was greatly acknowledged for his sixth sense, which made him see/appreciate things which others did not. 

He surprised many Christians when he recommended three Christians of Kasana-Luwero Diocese (Joseph Lwevuze, Joseph Kaise and Chevalier Sserubombwe) for the honour of Papal knighthood. 

He later explained that such honours inspire Christians to emulate the loyalty and commitment of those who receive them. 

Lwanga’s sixth sense was also clearly observed in his ability to identify children and youth who were uniquely talented and nurture them. But most importantly, Lwanga had a deep understanding/appreciation of the history of the Catholic Church in Uganda. 

He had immense love and respect for the White Fathers (Missionaries of Africa) who pioneered Catholic evangelism, as well as the Brothers of Christian Instruction, who advanced their Christian education ministry. 

He demonstrated his love and respect for the White Fathers when he gave them their land title and sealed their perpetual ownership of the plot at Nsambya in Makindye division, where they have their headquarters. Lwanga further preserved the historic legacy of the White Fathers by handing over to them the administration of Uganda Martyrs Catholic Shrine, Namugongo. 

The prelate also had a deep sense of ecumenism and interfaith co-operation. 

He morally and financially supported the development of the Uganda Martyrs Anglican Shrine, Namugongo, which was spearheaded by the Archbishop Emeritus of the Church of Uganda, Dr Livingstone Mpalanyi Nkoyoyo, now deceased. 

Lwanga had also finalised plans to renovate and expand the house and mosque of the late Amir Ssekikubo, the Muslim chief of Kabaka Muteesa I of Buganda. 

Ssekikubo welcomed the pioneer Catholic Missionaries (Fr Simon Lourdel Mapeera and Bro. Delmas Amans), arranged their meeting with the Kabaka and also accommodated them at his home at Kitebi in Rubaga division for two weeks (February 1879).

Lwanga hosted the 150th celebrations of the founding of the Catholic Missionary Society of the White Fathers. 

The historic event took place at the Uganda Martyrs’ Catholic Shrine, Namugongo on December 8, 2019. 

Lwanga also presided over the global celebration of the bicentenary of the religious institute of the Brothers of Christian Instruction at the University of Kisubi on February 7, 2020.