President Museveni gifts Cardinal Wamala brand new car

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"I am grateful to His Excellency the President for the gift of the car which will help in our ministry," said the 99-year-old Cardinal Emmanuel Wamala.

The former Archbishop of Kampala was on Monday (August 3) speaking from his retirement home in Nsambya, a suburb of Kampala, where he received the gift of a brand-new Toyota Land Cruiser from President Yoweri Museveni, who also serves as patron of the Cardinal Wamala Foundation.

“May the blessings of the Lord be with him, in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen,” the Cardinal said.

A brand new car donated by President Yoweri Museveni to Cardinal Emmanuel Wamala, which was delivered at his home in Nsambya, Kampala, on August 3, 2026. (Photo by Eddie Ssejjoba)

The car fulfilled the President's pledge to provide him with transport in support of his legacy projects. The President also promised to support Cosma Hospital and the Wamala Museum at Kamaggwa in Kyotera district.

During a meeting at State House Entebbe in February this year, the President accepted to become patron of the Cardinal Wamala Foundation and to support its projects, including a museum in the Cardinal's memory.

Cardinal Wamala, 99, who is scheduled to celebrate his 100th birthday on December 15 this year, expressed gratitude for the donation. He sat in the vehicle, blessed it with holy water and later sent his blessings to the President for the gift.

The vehicle was delivered by Charles Magumba, the chairperson of the foundation, who also serves as commissioner for urban administration at the Ministry of Local Government. He later handed over the keys to the Cardinal's personal assistant, Brother Leonard Ssekiranda.

The documents accompanying the vehicle, registration number UA 0105CY, were signed by the State House Comptroller, Jane Barekye.

“I am pleased to hand over the vehicle mentioned above, which was purchased for you as a donation from H.E. President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni of the Republic of Uganda,” she wrote in the letter dated August 3, 2026.

Magumba said that Cardinal Wamala had visited the President at State House to request him to become patron of the Cardinal Wamala Foundation.

“The President accepted the request, and during that engagement, the President promised the Cardinal a transport facility. He has fulfilled his promise today, and I have delivered it to the retired Archbishop of Kampala, Emmanuel Cardinal Wamala, and he has been grateful and thanked him for offering him this good transport,” Magumba said after the handover.

Charles Magumba, a commissioner in the Ministry of Local Government, and other officials pose for a picture with Cardinal Emmanuel Wamala, seated, after handing over documents of a new car donated by President Museveni. It was handed to him at his home in Nsambya on August 3, 2026. (Photo by Eddie Ssejjoba)

Although Kamaggwa Hospital is a private facility, Magumba said the President agreed to support it because it is expected to benefit the community. It will also collaborate with the Government to strengthen service delivery and infrastructure development in the area.

Cardinal Wamala was born to Cosma Kyamera and Theresa Namayanja on December 15, 1926, at Kamaggwa in Lwaggulwe, present-day Kyotera district.

One of his siblings, Monsignor Fr Henry Kyabukasa, a former teacher at Bukalasa Minor Seminary in Masaka city for 58 years, died on October 6, 2021, aged 92.

Cardinal Wamala was appointed Archbishop of Kampala in 1990 and became a Cardinal in 1994, becoming the second Catholic cleric to attain the rank after the late Cardinal Emmanuel Nsubuga. He retired in 2006 but continued to serve the Church.