Catholic church commemorates Archbishop Kiwanuka

Even after 57 years since his death, the Most Rev. Dr. Joseph Nakabaale Kiwanuka, the former Bishop of Masaka and later Archbishop of Lubaga, is still remembered with even greater admiration.

He is particularly revered for pioneering the native African Catholic episcopate when Pope Paul VI appointed him as Vicar Apostolic of Masaka and Titular Bishop of Thibica on May 25, 1939. 

The Chancellor of Kampala Archdiocese, Fr. Dr. Pius Male sprinkles holy water at the tomb of Archbishop Joseph Nakabaale Kiwanuka during the prelate's memorial mass on Ash Wednesday. Photos by Mathias Mazinga

As an experimental African Prelate, Kiwanuka performed beyond people’s expectations and proved wrong all those who doubted the ecclesial administrative competence of Africans. 

During his episcopal reign, Kiwanuka caused unprecedented development in Masaka. 

Further to teaching the authentic doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church, Kiwanuka also gave people socio-economic, political and intellectual empowerment.

A Christian prays at the tomb of Archbishop Dr. Joseph Nakabaale Kiwanuka during the prelate's requiem mass at Lubaga Cathedral.

He secured scholarships and sent many Ugandans to study abroad, He started vocational institutions to skill Ugandans. 

He started the first ever girls’ school in Uganda, Christ the King Girls Secondary School Kaliisizo, to liberate and empower the girl-child. 

He started the first Cooperative Society in Uganda, Bwavumpologoma (translated as poverty is a lion, it devours you if you don’t defend yourself against it) to eradicate poverty.

St. Charles Lwanga Choir of Lubaga Cathedral leads the singing during the memorial mass of Archbishop Joseph Nakabaale Kiwanuka on Ash Wednesday.

Kiwanuka also sensitized people politically. He wrote many pastoral letters, sensitizing people about the modern political trends. 

The most famous of such letters is Church and State, Guiding Principles (1961) which he wrote to prepare Ugandans for the country’s political independence. 

In the 15-page letter, Kiwanuka defined the different forms of political governance; multiparty democracy, monarchism, etc, elucidating the distinctions between them. 

The Chairman of Lubaga Cathedral National Foundation, Dr. Saturninus Kasozi Mulindwa delivers his speech.

He was explicit in his condemnation of the alliance of convenience between the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) and Kabaka Yekka (KY) against the Democratic Party (DP). Kiwanuka predicted that the alliance would result into a monarchial crisis.

The prelate’s oracle came to pass when Dr. Apollo Milton Obote (the Executive Prime Minister and President of UPC) clashed with Sir Edward Muteesa (then Uganda’s President, Kabaka (king) of Buganda and leader of KY). 

Fr. Pius Male administers ash on a baby during the memorial mass of Archbishop Joseph Kiwanuka at Lubaga Cathedral on Ash Wednesday.

The disagreement between the two leaders resulted into the bloody attack on the Lubiri (the Kabaka’s palace of Mengo) on May 24, 1961, the forced exile of Muteesa, the subsequent abolition of the Kingdom of Buganda and the resultant unending oppression, repression and discrimination of the Baganda and their sympathizers.

Archbishop Kiwanuka died on February 22, 1966. He was subsequently buried at Rubaga Cathedral.

It was on account of the many achievements that Archbishop Kiwanuka did for the Church and State that Catholics turned up in big numbers for his memorial mass at Lubaga Cathedral on Wednesday (February 22, 2023). 

The mass was celebrated by the Chancellor of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Kampala, the Rev. Fr. Dr. Pius Male, assisted by the Cathedral Administrator, the Very Rev. Fr. Achilles Mayanja.

Fr. Male praised Archbishop Kiwanuka for his contribution to the development of the Church and the country.

The function was graced by several dignitaries including the Chairman of Lubaga Cathedral National Foundation, Dr. Saturninus Mulindwa, the former Katikkiro of Buganda Joseph Mulwanyamuli Ssemogerere and the ambassador Matia Kiwanuka Ssemakula.