The Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Kampala, Dr Cyprian Kizito Lwanga has died at the age of 68, the Catholic Church has said.
He was reportedly found dead in his house this morning.
“With deep sorrow, I hereby informing you that our beloved Shepherd, the Archibishop of Kampala Archdiocese, His Grace Dr. Cyprian Kizito Lwanga has been called to the House of the Lord. The Archbishop was found dead in his room this morning.
We pray that the Almighty God may grant him eternal rest,” said Fr Pius Male Ssentumbwe in a statement released on Saturday afternoon.
“Further arrangements will be communicated later,” he added.
Dr Lwanga was last seen in public yesterday (April 2, 2021) as he particited in the homily of Good Friday celebrations together with his Church of Uganda counterpart Archbishop Steven Samuel Kazimba mugalu, he also presided over the Chrism Mass at Lubaga Cathedral on Thursday.
during the holly cross celebration yesterday (Photo Courtesy)
Born in January 1953, Dr Lwanga was appointed as Archbishop of Kampala on August 19, 2006.
Lwanga attended Kyabakadde Primary School there after he joined Nyenga Seminary in 1964. Between 1972 and 1974, he studied at Katigondo National Major Seminary, in present-day Kalungu District. He then studied Theology at Ggaba National major Seminary, in Kampala.
In 1979, he joined the University of Clermont-Ferrand in France, were he studied administration and languages, with particular emphasis on administration. Later, he studied at Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome, where in 1994, he earned a doctorate in Canon Law.
He was ordained a priest on April 8, 1978 at Rubaga Cathedral by Cardinal Emmanuel Kiwanuka Nsubuga. He served as a priest of Kampala Archdiocese until November 30, 1996.
He was appointed first bishop of the Diocese of Kasana-Luweero on November 30, 1996 and consecrated bishop on March 1, 1997 at Kasana-Luweero, by Cardinal Emmanuel Wamala, Archbishop of Kampala, assisted by Bishop Joseph Bernard Louis Willigers, Bishop of Jinja and Bishop Paul Lokiru Kalanda, Bishop of Fort Portal.
During a sermon on Good Friday in April 2018, Dr Lwanga revealed that his life had been threatened by an anonymous caller who claimed the state had received information linking him to a plot to overthrow the government.
The caller reportedly told him that government had recruited informants within the church’s ‘set up’- who had surrendered information to the president on the alleged plot.
In December last year, the Archbishop was in the spotlight for calling for postponement of January 2021 elections.
Addressing journalists in Kampala, Dr Lwanga who appeared with some members of the Uganda Joint Christian Council (UJCC) which he chaired suggested that the presidential elections be postponed for three years to contain the spread of coronavirus.
“I call upon all of you to stop telling lies. Stop misleading our president. Mr President we love you very much and that is why we have been electing you. These people are your enemies. They’re going to make you fail because your mind is poisoned and you act on such information.
