Uganda will on Sunday 16th February, 2020 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.
The Bishop’s body was secretly transported to Mucwini, Kitgum District (his ancestral home and birth place) and hurriedly buried at the church yard 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.
In 2015, H.E. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, President of the Republic of Uganda, designated 16th February as a national commemoration day in remembrance of the Archbishop. The day was also declared a public holiday.
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.
Today Wednesday, the Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, Rt. Rev. Stanley Ntagali, leads 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 and it started at 8:00a.m at the Bishop’s Palace, Namirembe, Kampala.
The Province of the Church of Uganda has also organized 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.
