Cardinal Nsubuga's legacy inspires Uganda's hope for a third cardinal

By Muwonge Magembe

February 8, marks 26 years since Emmanuel Cardinal Nsubuga, concluded his tenure as the Archbishop of Kampala.

He is very outstanding in the Roman Catholic Church because he was the first Ugandan to be appointed cardinal by Pope Paul VI on May 24, 1976. Sadly, 10 months after his retirement, he was admitted at Cologne University Hospital, Germany, on December 5, 1990; where he died of cancer on April 20, 1991 at age of 76 years.

Before leaving for Germany, he baptised as he celebrated one of his last mass at Kalisizo at the home of the late Sarah Ndagire, the sister to the late Fr. Boniface Mubiru. During his sermon, many people could not hold back their tears when he requested them to pray to God to enable him return alive from his then impending cancer treatment trip in Germany. He was touched by the peoples sympathy for him and had to sing his favourite Uganda martyrs song-‘Matia ne Kalori' in order to strengthen himself.

In Germany, Cardinal Nsubuga's condition deteriorated. A week to his death, he told his successor, Archbishop Wamala and John Sembuya Ssali, the General Manager of the Munno newspaper, to urge Ugandans to love each other as his last message to them. Afterwards, doctors pronounced him dead.

In life, Cardinal Nsubuga loved people by promoting ecumenical and interreligious dialogue. Solidarity was hence achieved manifesting with the way several Muslims voluntarily made substantial cash donations to him when he was constructing the Catholic Parishes of Bulo and Gombe in Butambala.

Cardinal Nsubuga also demonstrated his love for people during the 1981-1986 war. He fed and accommodated thousands of displaced persons irrespective of their religions. Indeed, when the war continued, he went to Boston in the US in August, 1984, and mobilised additional funds for displaced persons resettled at Rubaga and other Catholic parishes in Uganda.

Besides, there are specific individuals, Cardinal Nsubuga personally saved from being killed like A.D Lubowa, the former Local Government minister and Omulamuzi under Sir Edward Mutesa. Lubowa also served as Buganda Lukiiko speaker under Kabaka Ronald Mutebi. In June, 1980, gunmen broke in Lubowa's house at Masanyalaze zone, Najjanakumbi with possibly the intention of killing him. When Cardinal Nsubuga heard about it, he sent the late Michael Kaggwa, an official in the Archdiocese land department. Lubowa was hence relocated to the Cardinal's residence at Rubaga where he securely stayed until after the 1980 controversial elections. Thereafter, when Dr. Andrew Kayiira feared for his life, Cardinal Nsubuga made the same offer to him.

However, Kayiira surprisingly turned it down at the last minute.

Hitherto, on May 24, 1966, when Nsubuga (then monsignor) was Kampala Archdiocese Vicar General, he supported the safe escape of Sir Edward Mutesa to exile after Dr. Milton Obote sanctioned the military invasion of Mengo palace. Coincidently, 10 years after in 1976; on the same day and month (May, 24) Nsubuga helped Mutesa to escape, Pope Paul VI appointed him Cardinal.

During Idi Amin's reign, Archbishop Nsubuga risked his life in the fight for human rights like when soldiers kidnapped Catholic priest, Fr. Clement Kiggundu and burnt him inside his Peugeot 404 car. His body went missing until it was first sighted by Pastor Sebiina Kaggwa while riding a bicycle with his friend, Samuel Musoke at Namanve. When Archbishop Nsubuga established that soldiers executed Kiggundu, he immediately dressed up in a tropical white cassock which had 33 buttons that symbolise the 33 years Jesus Christ spent during his earthly ministry. Thereafter, Archbishop Nsubuga went to Kololo Command Post and fearlessly grilled Amin. Brig. Isaac Maliyamungu later plotted to assassinate him along Entebbe Road.

However, Kassim Obura surprisingly rushed to Rubaga and alerted Cardinal Nsubuga.

Such a powerful legacy of unselfishness and love for others Cardinal Nsubuga demonstrated, coupled with the unquestionable integrity and humility of his successor, Cardinal Wamala, greatly inspires Uganda's optimism for more cardinals in future. The current Roman Catholic Code of Canon law, which came into force on November 27, 1983, confers the powers to appoint cardinals to the Pope. Indeed, Can. 351 §1 states that those to be promoted Cardinals are men freely selected by the Roman Pontiff, who are at least in the order of the priesthood and are truly outstanding for doctrine, virtue, piety and prudence in practical matters. And those (appointed to Cardinal) but are not already Bishops must receive episcopal consecration.

Remarkably, the previous appointments of Archbishop Nsubuga and Wamala to cardinal occurred after a sitting Pope visited Uganda. For instance, on November 26, 1994, a year after Pope John Paul II visited

Uganda, he appointed then 67 year old Archbishop Wamala to cardinal.

Hitherto, Pope Paul VI appointed to cardinal then 61 year old Archbishop Nsubuga after he visited Uganda in 1969.

The writer  is researcher and an accountant

muwongecwm@gmail.com