Priest who formulated the Uganda motto passes on
Jan 07, 2016
He has been an encyclopedia of the Uganda martyrs history.
Monsignor Hilarious Kaijanabyo, the priest who formulated the Uganda Motto "For God and My Country" has died. He was 98.
Kaijanabyo, a priest at Fort Portal Diocese died Wednesday morning at Virika Hospital.
He was a member of the National Symbol Committee that selected Uganda's National Anthem, Uganda's National Flag and Uganda's Court of Arms in 1962.
"Three teams were commissioned to get the Motto, they included the Anglican, Muslim and the Catholics led by Father Kaijanabyo, his motto went through and it is now what we pride in," said Rev. Father Venansio Busobozi, the Chancellor of Fort Portal Diocese.
At the time of formulating the Uganda Motto, Kaijanabyo was working at the Catholic Secretariat in Kampala.
Kaijanabyo who has been the longest serving priest and oldest in the Western Ecclesiastical Province is remembered for starting a number of catholic institutions ranging from schools, parishes among others.
He is the founder of Kasese Parish, now Kasese Diocese. In 1965 he started St Mary's Seminary in Fort Portal.
Kaijanabyo is also remembered for being a great researcher who dwelt a lot on the Uganda martyrs history.
"He has been an encyclopedia of the Uganda martrys history, 60% of the information we have about the Uganda martyrs is his input," Busobozi said
He published several books, but famous among them is one called Enfumu za Toro na Bunyoro published in 1951.
Born on December 8, 1917, to Yozefu Ruguguza and Christine Ndabisika of Kitaihuka in Katooke Sub County Kyenjojo district, Kainanabyo was ordined priest on December 11, 1949 at Butiti Catholic Parish.
He finished his primary education in Mwenge from 1929 to 1933. From 1933 to 1939 he attended Bukalasa Seminary and later joined Katigondo in 1940 where he completed his studies in 1949.
Kaijanabyo served in various parishes in western Uganda, which include Rugazi in Rubirizi district, Butiti and Virika, Lwera in Ntugamo district, Nsenyi in Kasese district, Munteme in Kibale district among others.