Centenarian Kitavujja's function unites religions

Oct 03, 2020

RELIGION | LIFE |

Christopher Kitavujja's 100^th birth-day function that took place at his ancestral home at Kiwumu, Kyampisi Sub-County, in Mukono district on October 1, was laden with many surprises.

The most striking aspect of the function was its unprecedented interdenominational character.

Priests from the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of Uganda conducted subsequent prayer sessions in gratitude to God for His mercies and blessings upon Kitavujja.

Muslim clerics also graced the function and invoked Allah to lavish even more blessings upon Kitavujja.

Centenarian Kitavujja delivers his thanksgiving remarks. With him is Janet Nantumbwe Sekubunga, the widow of his brother Joseph Ssekubunga

Fr Dogratias Kiibi Kateregga, the youthful parish-priest of Mpigi presided over the Catholic mass, which began the prayerful activity of the day.

Kiibi thanked God for granting Kitavujja long life. He asked the congregation not to take Kitavujja's long life for granted because not many people get a chance to reach that ripe age.

He later praised Kitavujja for his commitment to his family, the Church, and the country and asked the people to emulate him.

The Catholic Mass was followed by a Holy Communion Anglican service presided over by the Bishop emeritus of Central Buganda Diocese, the Rt. Rev. Jackson Matovu, assisted by the assistant archdeacon of Bukoba, Rev. Moses Munakukaama.

Centenarian Kitavujja joined by his siblings, children, and grand-children to cut cake

Bishop Matovu also praised Kitavujja's religious devotion and his immense support towards the Church and its ministers. The retired prelate later cautioned the youth against unbecoming behaviours and asked them to emulate Kitavujja's virtues of hard work, religious devotion, respect, and solidarity.

The Imam of Kiwumu, Sheikh Ediriisa Kijjambu also prayed to Allah the most gracious, the most merciful, to lavish even more blessings upon Kitavujja, whom he described as a good man, who loves and welcomes all people, without considering their religious or tribal affiliations.

In his brief speech, the centenarian Kitavujja thanked all his relatives and friends for their gesture of love and support.

He attributed his achievements to the loving-kindness of God, who he said had made him live long, despite the serious heart-related complications that he has lived with since his birth.

The function was also graced by the Ssabalangira of Buganda, Dr. Godfrey Musanje Kikulwe, and the former minister without portfolio, Hajj Abdu Nadduli, who asked Ugandans to be patriotic and also, to behave as Godly people.