Celebrating the life and times of St. Janani Luwum

By Our Reporter

February 16, 2020, will mark the 43rd anniversary of the Martyrdom of St. Janani Luwum. St. Janani Luwum was the 2nd African Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Boga Zaire, who was brutally murdered in 1977 by the Military Government at the orders of the then President of Uganda, Idi Amin Dada at the then State Research Bureau, Nakasero. His body was secretly transported to Mucwini, Kitgum District (his ancestral home and birthplace) and hurriedly buried at the churchyard of Wii Gweng.

In addition to his great passion for proclaiming the Gospel of Christ, St. Janani Luwum faced the cruelty of his murderers due to his clear, undaunted voice for strong values and moral rootedness, human rights and social justice.

St. Janani Luwum Commemoration Service
In 2015, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni designated 16th February as a national commemoration day in remembrance of the Archbishop. The day was also declared a public holiday.

In that regard, the Directorate for Ethics and Integrity, responsible for Religious Affairs together with the Church of Uganda organises an annual commemoration service at his resting place at Wii-Gweng, Mucwini in Kitgum district.

This year, 2020 the service will be conducted under the theme “Let us not get tired of doing good” taken from the Book of Galatians, Chapter 6 verse 9. His Excellency Gen. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, the President of the Republic of Uganda will be the Chief Guest.

The foot pilgrimage
Prior to the Commemoration Day, the Province of the Church of Uganda has organised a two-week Foot-Pilgrimage from Namirembe Hill in Kampala to Mucwini in Kitgum, retracing the final journey of the late Archbishop from his official residence to his resting place.

To kick start the pilgrimage, the Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, Rt. Rev. Stanley Ntagali, lead the pilgrims through a symbolic walk from Namirembe (Bishop’s Palace) through Serena Hotel (the then Nile Mansions), and Okello House Nakasero (former State Research Bureau) where he was murdered. This walk marks the final journey of St. Janani Luwum in Kampala shortly before he met his death.

All stakeholders, the media, men and women of good have been invited to join the Church in commemorating the life and times of this modern-day martyr.

Background: Luwum was born in the village of Mucwini in the Kitgum District to Acholi parents.
Education: He attended Gulu High School and Boroboro Teacher Training College, after which he taught at a primary school. Luwum converted to Christianity in 1948, and in 1949 he went to Buwalasi Theological College.

Work: In 1950 he was attached to St. Philip’s Church in Gulu, before he was ordained a deacon in 1953, and the following year he was ordained a priest. He served in the Upper Nile Diocese of Uganda and later in the Diocese of Mbale. In 1969 he was consecrated Bishop of the Diocese of Northern Uganda in Gulu. After five years he was appointed Archbishop of the Metropolitan Province of Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and Boga (in Zaire), becoming the second African to hold this position.