Precious in thy sight, O Lord, is the death of thy saints, whose faithful witness, by thy providence, hath its great reward: We give thee thanks for thy martyrs James Hannington and his companions, who purchased with their blood a road unto Uganda for the proclamation of the Gospel; and we pray that with them we also may obtain the crown of righteousness which is laid up for all who love the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Drawing: Seizure of Bishop James Hannington, by William Hatherell from The Story of Africa and its Explorers (1892) pic.twitter.com/nGjhDPOXEO

— kizitoSerumaga (@kizitoSerumaga) October 29, 2020

Archbishop of the Church of Uganda Dr Stephen Kaziimba invited Ndukuba as the guest preacher at the Anglican site as the Church marks the 2024 Martyrs Day.

He thanked God for the 45 Uganda Martyrs from both Anglicans and Catholics and the opportunity for the Church of Nigeria to take part in this year’s Martyrs Day celebrations. He asked Christians to emulate the martyrs because they did not forsake their faith.

“The Church in Uganda is because of God’s holy word and also on the sacrifices of those who were killed for their faith in God. I have been shocked by the many people who have travelled long distances to come here and worship God. The reward for sin is death, but the strength of God is seen in righteousness,” he said.

He equated the Uganda Martyrs to the Biblical believers Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in Daniel 3:8–30 who chose to be thrown in the Lake of Fire rather than denounce God.

Nigeria archbishop celebrates Uganda Martyrs, decries persecution of Christians

DETAILS: https://t.co/S3POimeVkU #VisionUpdates pic.twitter.com/XgdjLjQoPQ

— The New Vision (@newvisionwire) June 3, 2024

O God, by whose providence the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church: Grant that we who remember before thee the blessed martyrs of Uganda, may, like them, be steadfast in our faith in Jesus Christ, to whom they gave obedience even unto death, and by their sacrifice brought forth a plentiful harvest; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Happy Martyrs’ day.

The Uganda Law Society joins the rest of the world to commemorate this year’s Martyrs' Day.

‘Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven’ ~Mathew 5:10. pic.twitter.com/BIRAPizLHZ

— Uganda Law Society (@ug_lawsociety) June 3, 2024

In Uganda, during the eight years in the 1970’s when Idi Amin and his men slaughtered probably half a million Ugandans, “We live today and are gone tomorrow” was the common phrase.

We learned that living in danger, when the Lord Jesus is the focus of your life, can be liberating. For one thing, you are no longer imprisoned by your own security, because there is none. So the important security that people sought was to be anchored in God.

As we testified to the safe place we had in Jesus, many people who had been pagan, or were on the fringes of Christianity, flocked to the church or to individuals, asking earnestly, “How do you prepare yourself for death?” Churches all over the country were packed both with members and seekers. This was no comfort to President Amin, who was making wild promises to Libya and other Arab nations that Uganda would soon be a Muslim country. (It is actually 80 per cent Christian)….
It became clear to us through the Scriptures that our resistance was to be that of overcoming evil with good. This included refusing to cooperate with anything that dehumanizes people, but we reaffirmed that we can never be involved in using force or weapons.

…we knew, of course, that the accusation against our beloved brother, Archbishop Janani Luwum, that he was hiding weapons for an armed rebellion, was untrue, a frame-up to justify his murder.

The archbishop’s arrest, and the news of his death, was a blow from the Enemy calculated to send us reeling. That was on February 16, 1977. The truth of the matter is that it boomeranged on Idi Amin himself. Through it he lost respect in the world and, as we see it now, it was the beginning of the end for him.

For us, the effect can best be expressed in the words of the little lady who came to arrange flowers, as she walked through the cathedral with several despondent bishops who were preparing for Archbishop Luwum’s Memorial Service. She said, “This is going to put us twenty times forward, isn’t it?” And as a matter of fact, it did.

More than four thousand people walked, unintimidated, past Idi Amin’s guards to pack St. Paul’s Cathedral in Kampala on February 20. They repeatedly sang the “Martyr’s Song,” which had been sung by the young Ugandan martyrs in 1885. Those young lads had only recently come to know the Lord, but they loved Him so much that they could refuse the evil thing demanded of them by King Mwanga. They died in the flames singing, “Oh that I had wings such as angels have, I would fly away and be with the Lord.” They were given wings, and the singing of those thousands at the Memorial Service had wings too.

–Festo Kivengere, Revolutionary Love, Chapter Nine

Archbishop Janani Luwum was killed #onthisday in 1977 after protesting against acts of violence carried out by the security services in his native Uganda.

He is one of ten 20th-century Christian martyrs whose statues stand above the Abbey's West Door:https://t.co/U8m2V4sagr pic.twitter.com/2hWnmftUjL

— Westminster Abbey (@wabbey) February 17, 2024

O God, whose Son the Good Shepherd laid down his life for the sheep: We give thee thanks for thy faithful shepherd, Janani Luwum, who after his Savior’s example gave up his life for the people of Uganda. Grant us to be so inspired by his witness that we make no peace with oppression, but live as those who are sealed with the cross of Christ, who died and rose again, and now liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.O God, whose Son the Good Shepherd laid down his life for the sheep: We give thee thanks for thy faithful shepherd, Janani Luwum, who after his Savior’s example gave up his life for the people of Uganda. Grant us to be so inspired by his witness that we make no peace with oppression, but live as those who are sealed with the cross of Christ, who died and rose again, and now liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Today we join the rest of the world to honour a figure of the Church, the voice of people and communities in Uganda, Archbishop Janan Lawum.

Archbishop Janan Lawum teaches to speak truth to power always, a character that can open very many doors.@JanetMuseveni @JanetMuseveni pic.twitter.com/uf35qvAHfx

— Uganda National Students Association (UNSA) (@unsaugofficial) February 16, 2024

Moses Kuboi, the Jinja district prisons commander and the officer in charge of the Jinja main prisons who received Naimanhye and his team, said they were yearning for the revival of their church inside the facility which had collapsed following the COVID-19 outbreak.

Since guidelines restricted social gatherings, Kuboi said their St Paul Chapel had gone into tatters until one of their staff proposed the need for its revival.

“A month ago, one of our staff decided that we should serve the Lord again and here we are,” Kuboi said.

The church is hosted in one of the buildings within Kirinya complex under the St James archdeaconry in Jinja district. Kuboi said the Church of Uganda had revived drastically at the facility with the deployment of a chaplain, Stephen Wanyagira who was at the helm.

He said the team found them when they were tattered, but kept making them firm and this inspired them to reclaim their church back.

Read it all.

Busoga Diocese bishop the Rev. Dr. Paul Samson Naimanhye said they deemed it fit to visit the prisoners and feed them spiritually.

DETAILS 👇🏽 #VisionUpdateshttps://t.co/qoVQF2RLFw

— The New Vision (@newvisionwire) July 30, 2023

O God, by whose providence the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church: Grant that we who remember before thee the blessed martyrs of Uganda, may, like them, be steadfast in our faith in Jesus Christ, to whom they gave obedience even unto death, and by their sacrifice brought forth a plentiful harvest; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

MARTYRS OF UGANDA, 3 June

Almighty God, you gave your servants The martyrs of Uganda boldness to confess the Name of our Savior Jesus Christ before the rulers of this world, and courage to die for this faith: Grant that we may always be ready to give a reason for the hope that… pic.twitter.com/2K4sP4oWkq

— James Gibson⚓✝️⛪️ (@JaggedAnglican) June 3, 2023

The Anglican Church of Uganda and clergy from Oryun Community Church in South Korea have launched a training centre for missionaries in Uganda.

The Daniel Missional Leadership Training Centre at Lweza in Wakiso District, Central Uganda, was commissioned last week at a colourful event graced by top Anglican Church leaders in Uganda and Oryun Community Church.

Speaking at the event on 21st March, the Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Uganda, Dr Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu, said the centre will train young leaders to usher God’s Kingdom into their homes, churches, universities, workplaces and the rest of the world.

“The commissioning of the centre is a clear testimony that the Anglican Church of Uganda shall be celebrated for sending missionaries to the world,” Kaziimba said, adding, “We envision many young people being equipped for the works of the ministry and sent to the world to light it.”

Read it all.

Anglican Church in Uganda and South Koreans launch new missionary training centrehttps://t.co/su7AlpDC3t pic.twitter.com/7Ni5LR8aez

— Anglican Ink (@anglicanink) April 3, 2023

In Uganda, during the eight years in the 1970’s when Idi Amin and his men slaughtered probably half a million Ugandans, “We live today and are gone tomorrow” was the common phrase.

We learned that living in danger, when the Lord Jesus is the focus of your life, can be liberating. For one thing, you are no longer imprisoned by your own security, because there is none. So the important security that people sought was to be anchored in God.

As we testified to the safe place we had in Jesus, many people who had been pagan, or were on the fringes of Christianity, flocked to the church or to individuals, asking earnestly, “How do you prepare yourself for death?” Churches all over the country were packed both with members and seekers. This was no comfort to President Amin, who was making wild promises to Libya and other Arab nations that Uganda would soon be a Muslim country. (It is actually 80 per cent Christian)….
It became clear to us through the Scriptures that our resistance was to be that of overcoming evil with good. This included refusing to cooperate with anything that dehumanizes people, but we reaffirmed that we can never be involved in using force or weapons.

…we knew, of course, that the accusation against our beloved brother, Archbishop Janani Luwum, that he was hiding weapons for an armed rebellion, was untrue, a frame-up to justify his murder.

The archbishop’s arrest, and the news of his death, was a blow from the Enemy calculated to send us reeling. That was on February 16, 1977. The truth of the matter is that it boomeranged on Idi Amin himself. Through it he lost respect in the world and, as we see it now, it was the beginning of the end for him.

For us, the effect can best be expressed in the words of the little lady who came to arrange flowers, as she walked through the cathedral with several despondent bishops who were preparing for Archbishop Luwum’s Memorial Service. She said, “This is going to put us twenty times forward, isn’t it?” And as a matter of fact, it did.

More than four thousand people walked, unintimidated, past Idi Amin’s guards to pack St. Paul’s Cathedral in Kampala on February 20. They repeatedly sang the “Martyr’s Song,” which had been sung by the young Ugandan martyrs in 1885. Those young lads had only recently come to know the Lord, but they loved Him so much that they could refuse the evil thing demanded of them by King Mwanga. They died in the flames singing, “Oh that I had wings such as angels have, I would fly away and be with the Lord.” They were given wings, and the singing of those thousands at the Memorial Service had wings too.

–Festo Kivengere, Revolutionary Love, Chapter Nine

🔵 #TodayInHistory #February16 #Uganda 🇺🇬

➡️1977 – Arrested Archbishop Janani Luwum last seen in public. Killed on orders of Pres. Idi Amin.

➡️ Also killed is Charles Oboth‐Ofumbi, Minister Internal Affairs & Lt Col Erinayo Oryema, Minister Land & Water Res. #JananiLuwum pic.twitter.com/m0wp18b6To

— Louis Jadwong (@Jadwong) February 16, 2023

O God, whose Son the Good Shepherd laid down his life for the sheep: We give thee thanks for thy faithful shepherd, Janani Luwum, who after his Savior’s example gave up his life for the people of Uganda. Grant us to be so inspired by his witness that we make no peace with oppression, but live as those who are sealed with the cross of Christ, who died and rose again, and now liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Today the Church of England celebrates Janani Luwum, Archbishop of Uganda, Martyr, 1977 https://t.co/vem2rF2KJf

Image: Detail of window in St John's Anglican Cathedral, Winnipeg, via https://t.co/o5f92VHUhA pic.twitter.com/1TiuYSyhGc

— The Anglican Church in St Petersburg (@anglicanspb) February 17, 2023

The Church is at a crossroads. Nothing illustrates that more than Archbishop Steven Kaziimba’s response on behalf of the Church of Uganda to the Church of England’s decision to bless same-sex relationships. In short, the Church of Uganda says, “Just say no.”

Just say no to the leaders of the Church of England, including Archbishop Justin Welby and Archbishop of York, Stephen Cotrell, who tried to convince us there is a distinction between the blessing of a couple and the blessing of their relationship. As Archbishop Kaziimba says so clearly: if it looks like a wedding and sounds like a wedding, it is a wedding.

Just say no to the Church of England’s departure from the Bible and their new message, which is the opposite of the Bible. Instead of calling for repentance, it is blessing sin.

Just say no to going down the suicidal path the Church of England has now taken in following the Episcopal Church by redefining biblical standards for human sexuality, marriage, and leadership in the Church.

Read it all.

From there:

Good morning, our Media Evangelists, and Praise God from Whom all Blessings Flow!

I have invited you here today to update you and, through you, all our Christians here in Uganda about some recent decisions the Church of England has made. I want to explain them very well to all of us and also explain the Church of Uganda’s position.

The Church of England’s Decision

The General Synod of the Church of England (their top governing body, like our Provincial Assembly) sat yesterday and passed several resolutions that are of great concern to us in Uganda. They have decided to allow clergy to preside at Blessings of Same-sex Unions and have approved supplemental prayers and liturgies for such occasions.

The Church of England is very good at making contradictory statements and expecting everyone to believe both can be true at the same time. That’s what they have done with this decision.

On the one hand, they say that the Church of England has not changed its doctrine of marriage, namely that marriage is a lifelong union between one man and one woman.

On the other hand, they are giving clergy permission to preside at services of Blessing for same-sex unions, especially for gay couples who are already considered “married” by the British government. In other words, a gay couple joined together in a civil marriage would then go to the church to receive prayers of blessing.

The only significant difference between a wedding and a service of “blessing” is the terminology used.

The Church of England insists it is not changing its doctrine of marriage. But, in practice, they are doing precisely that. You may read various articles, opinions, and commentaries on this decision that try to justify its action.

But, what I want you to know is that if it looks like a wedding, and sounds like a wedding… it IS a wedding.

The Church of Uganda’s Position

1. Now, I want to talk about the position of the Church of Uganda. There have been very many questions about it in light of this terrible decision of the Church of England.First, from the first page of the Bible in the book of Genesis to the last page of the Bible in the book of Revelation, it is clear that God’s design for human flourishing is that we are part of a family – a family that is defined as one man and one woman united in holy matrimony for life and, God willing, a union that produces children. God’s Word has said that the only context for sexual relationships is in the context of a marriage of one man and one woman.

2. Because lifelong, exclusive marriage between one man and one woman is the only context for sexual relationships, the Bible calls any other kind of sexual relationship a sin. Whether it is adultery, or fornication, or polygamy, or homosexual relationships. They are all sin and they all separate us from God.

a. That means sleeping with your girlfriend or your boyfriend before marriage is a sin.

b. That means that if you are married and have a “side dish,” that is a sin.

c. That means that if you take a second or third wife that is a sin.

d. That means if you engage in homosexual or same-sex sexual relationships, that is a sin.

Yes, God can forgive you, but it requires that you come before God, confess that you have done wrong, and make a commitment to change your way of life – in other words, to repent – and walk in God’s ways.

3. Third. When Jesus was questioned about a woman caught in adultery, he told her to “Go, and sin no more.”

There is a lot of sexual sin in Uganda. I know that, and you know that. Nevertheless, we haven’t changed our message. Our message is the message of the Bible, which is, “Go, and sin no more.”

The Church of England, on the other hand, has now departed from the Bible and their new message is the opposite message of the Bible. They are now saying, “Go, and sin some more.”

They are even offering to bless that sin.

That is wrong.

Rev. Dr. Stephen Samuel Kaziimba Mugalu has said the Church of Uganda still considers homosexual relationships sinful thus it won’t take the path of the Church of England which has accepted to bless same sex marriages.

What do you make of the Archbishop’s thoughts? | #MazimaPoll pic.twitter.com/lodIM9fM88

— Mazima News (@mazimaug) February 10, 2023

O God, by whose providence the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church: Grant that we who remember before thee the blessed martyrs of Uganda, may, like them, be steadfast in our faith in Jesus Christ, to whom they gave obedience even unto death, and by their sacrifice brought forth a plentiful harvest; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

We salute the Uganda Martyrs for their steadfastness, despite being new converts to the Christian faith. They paid the ultimate price of death but did not die in vain. Their fortitude and endurance continue to win souls for the Kingdom of God. https://t.co/Wms87G8iIl. pic.twitter.com/028c8y1SUs

— Yoweri K Museveni (@KagutaMuseveni) June 3, 2022

In Uganda, during the eight years in the 1970’s when Idi Amin and his men slaughtered probably half a million Ugandans, “We live today and are gone tomorrow” was the common phrase.

We learned that living in danger, when the Lord Jesus is the focus of your life, can be liberating. For one thing, you are no longer imprisoned by your own security, because there is none. So the important security that people sought was to be anchored in God.

As we testified to the safe place we had in Jesus, many people who had been pagan, or were on the fringes of Christianity, flocked to the church or to individuals, asking earnestly, “How do you prepare yourself for death?” Churches all over the country were packed both with members and seekers. This was no comfort to President Amin, who was making wild promises to Libya and other Arab nations that Uganda would soon be a Muslim country. (It is actually 80 per cent Christian)….
It became clear to us through the Scriptures that our resistance was to be that of overcoming evil with good. This included refusing to cooperate with anything that dehumanizes people, but we reaffirmed that we can never be involved in using force or weapons.

…we knew, of course, that the accusation against our beloved brother, Archbishop Janani Luwum, that he was hiding weapons for an armed rebellion, was untrue, a frame-up to justify his murder.

The archbishop’s arrest, and the news of his death, was a blow from the Enemy calculated to send us reeling. That was on February 16, 1977. The truth of the matter is that it boomeranged on Idi Amin himself. Through it he lost respect in the world and, as we see it now, it was the beginning of the end for him.

For us, the effect can best be expressed in the words of the little lady who came to arrange flowers, as she walked through the cathedral with several despondent bishops who were preparing for Archbishop Luwum’s Memorial Service. She said, “This is going to put us twenty times forward, isn’t it?” And as a matter of fact, it did.

More than four thousand people walked, unintimidated, past Idi Amin’s guards to pack St. Paul’s Cathedral in Kampala on February 20. They repeatedly sang the “Martyr’s Song,” which had been sung by the young Ugandan martyrs in 1885. Those young lads had only recently come to know the Lord, but they loved Him so much that they could refuse the evil thing demanded of them by King Mwanga. They died in the flames singing, “Oh that I had wings such as angels have, I would fly away and be with the Lord.” They were given wings, and the singing of those thousands at the Memorial Service had wings too.

–Festo Kivengere, Revolutionary Love, Chapter Nine

Today, we honour the memory of Archbishop Janani Luwum who at the time of his murder ministered the Church of Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Boga-Zaire.

May his unwavering faith and stand for truth, inspire service for a better country and Hope beyond Affliction.#JananiLuwumDay22 pic.twitter.com/LXOKVnmjGI

— Jacob Oulanyah (@JacobOulanyah) February 16, 2022

O God, whose Son the Good Shepherd laid down his life for the sheep: We give thee thanks for thy faithful shepherd, Janani Luwum, who after his Savior’s example gave up his life for the people of Uganda. Grant us to be so inspired by his witness that we make no peace with oppression, but live as those who are sealed with the cross of Christ, who died and rose again, and now liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Today the CofE remembers Janani Luwum, Anglican Archbishop of Uganda, who was arrested by Amin in 1977 for protesting his murderous regime. Amin said he then died in a ‘road accident’, which did not explain the bullet-riddled body he released to his family. pic.twitter.com/LCtY3LFFeU

— Richard Coles (@RevRichardColes) February 17, 2022

The Rt Rev John Wilson Nandaah was consecrated and installed as the 8th Bishop of Mbale Diocese on 5th December 2021 at St. Andrew’s Cathedral, Mbale. He succeeded the Rt. Rev. Patrick Gidudu who served as the 7th Bishop since 2008.

In his charge, Bishop Nandaah pledged to focus on advancing mission and evangelism, promote orderly worship, teamwork, to improve networking and partnerships, to improve links with mission partners and support the Provincial development programs especially Kingdom Development Organ (KIDO).

He further committed himself to improving the education services, health services and supporting the growth and excellence of human resource in Mbale Diocese.

Read it all.

Precious in thy sight, O Lord, is the death of thy saints, whose faithful witness, by thy providence, hath its great reward: We give thee thanks for thy martyrs James Hannington and his companions, who purchased with their blood a road unto Uganda for the proclamation of the Gospel; and we pray that with them we also may obtain the crown of righteousness which is laid up for all who love the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Today we remember James Hannington, first Bishop of Eastern Equatorial Africa who died on 29 October 1885: https://t.co/0uuUyfMCA1 pic.twitter.com/Q1Txn2w6Is

— The Church of England (@churchofengland) October 29, 2018

Archbishop Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu has launched the “Yes, We Can!” fundraising campaign at All Saints’ Cathedral, Kampala to save the church from debts.

The “Yes, We Can!” fundraising campaign aims to raise 1,000,000 “Love Gifts” of Shs 60,000 each to clear the construction loans on Church House.

Last week, Mugalu called upon Ugandans to participate towards the contribution of the church house debt.

Church of Uganda is currently in crisis talks following reports that its multi-billion Church House building on Kampala Road is at risk of being auctioned over Shs 48 billion unpaid debt.

Read it all.

Archbishop Kaziimba launches “Yes, We Can!” fundraising campaign to clear church debts#NilePostNews #NBSUpdates

More details: https://t.co/H4ur5vN0zV

— Nile Post (@nilepostnews) June 7, 2021

Precious in thy sight, O Lord, is the death of thy saints, whose faithful witness, by thy providence, hath its great reward: We give thee thanks for thy martyrs James Hannington and his companions, who purchased with their blood a road unto Uganda for the proclamation of the Gospel; and we pray that with them we also may obtain the crown of righteousness which is laid up for all who love the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Today we remember the Martyrs of Uganda (1885-7 and 1977). Thanking God for their witness, we pray for all those persecuted for their faith and those who continue to witness to the Good News of Jesus Christ in the most difficult circumstances. pic.twitter.com/svibM3IAGf

— Archbishop of Canterbury (@JustinWelby) June 3, 2021

A year ago, the global Covid pandemic tried to lockdown the church. No one was celebrating Good Friday or Easter in church buildings. Covid tried to lockdown Jesus; it tried to bury him in a cave and seal it with a huge stone. But, the stone was rolled away. Death could not lockdown Jesus. And, Covid could not lockdown the Gospel. Jesus is risen and he can be worshiped not only in churches, but everywhere two or three are gathered together in his name.

I am grateful this Easter that some members of our churches are allowed to gather in their church buildings to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection.

I also encourage the government to lift the restrictions on children coming to church. Just as children are returning to school, the church is very ready to receive our children for only one hour per week in an organized way that upholds the SOPs. Our children need to be in church with their families.

I still encourage everyone to worship daily at home, even if you are going to church each Sunday. Family worship is essential in sustaining our faith and in raising children to know and love the Lord.

I am here today to declare to you that the greatest force on earth – death itself – could not hold Jesus down. He was killed and buried on Good Friday. But, on Easter morning, he was raised from the dead. He is alive and will never die again. Jesus is risen to be worshiped.

Read it all.

Congratulations Stephen Samuel Kaziimba,The 9th Archbishop elect of Church of Uganda pic.twitter.com/XE2K6rn2S4

— Komakech Robert (@KomakRobert) August 28, 2019

Precious in thy sight, O Lord, is the death of thy saints, whose faithful witness, by thy providence, hath its great reward: We give thee thanks for thy martyrs James Hannington and his companions, who purchased with their blood a road unto Uganda for the proclamation of the Gospel; and we pray that with them we also may obtain the crown of righteousness which is laid up for all who love the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

James Hannington, bishop, missionary and martyr, died this day in 1885. Three years before, he heard of missionary deaths in Buganda (part of modern Uganda) and went there as a replacement. He's an example of what others endure for the sake of the gospel. https://t.co/BfD1yrnJSM pic.twitter.com/HoaS2Z2fD9

— Peterborough Cathedral (@pborocathedral) October 29, 2020

Precious in thy sight, O Lord, is the death of thy saints, whose faithful witness, by thy providence, hath its great reward: We give thee thanks for thy martyrs James Hannington and his companions, who purchased with their blood a road unto Uganda for the proclamation of the Gospel; and we pray that with them we also may obtain the crown of righteousness which is laid up for all who love the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

I greet you all in the name of our crucified and risen Lord Jesus Christ!

Easter 2020 is a very unique Easter. We have never had an Easter like this where we cannot gather together to celebrate Jesus’ victory over death. At the same time, we extend our sympathies to those who have lost their dear ones, both in Uganda and outside Uganda. We especially extend our condolences to the thousands of families around the world who have lost family members to COVID-19 and stand in prayer with those who are still struggling to recover.

It was only five weeks ago that I was installed as the 9th Archbishop of the Church of Uganda. I want to sincerely appreciate the Chair of the Organizing Committee, Hon. Ruth Nankabirwa, and her entire team who worked tirelessly to bring us together to seek God’s blessing for this next season in the life of our church. I also want to appreciate all the Bishops of the Church of Uganda and the Christians for their sacrificial support, as well as the many businesses who made contributions. Finally, to His Excellency, the President of Uganda, we extend heartfelt thanks for your support that has enabled the church to be a strong development partner with the government.

During this extraordinary season, we especially appreciate the President and government’s efforts to keep Ugandans safe and well. Yes, our lives have been significantly disrupted by the closures of churches, schools, and businesses, the restrictions on movement, and the nighttime curfew. Nevertheless, we encourage all Ugandans to obey the President’s directives so together we can defeat COVID-19. We also appeal to the security organs in the country to enforce the restrictions respectfully; please do not beat your fellow Ugandans as if they were animals.

In the midst of these challenges, we appreciate the government’s efforts to distribute food to those directly impacted by the lockdown. It’s a difficult exercise and the food may not reach everyone who really needs it. As this is Easter season, however, we call upon Ugandans to do what we normally do and share the little you have with others, especially the disabled and the orphans and widows in our communities.

Read it all.

At least 120 foreign dignitaries are expected to grace the enthronement of the Archbishop-elect of the Church of Uganda, the Rt. Rev. Dr. Stephen Samuel Kaziimba. https://t.co/TVrf4KAO9g | #VisionUpdates pic.twitter.com/LlXareDNYf

— The New Vision (@newvisionwire) February 26, 2020

Dear Bishops, Clergy, and Christians,

Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

Even in the time of coronavirus and COVID-19, all blessings flow from God and we offer praise to Him because He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13.8) and His mercies never come to an end (Lamentations 3.22).

Today, 25th March, the Ministry of Health has reported five more confirmed cases of coronavirus in Uganda, bringing the total of confirmed cases to fourteen. Yesterday, 24th March, His Excellency, the President of Uganda, addressed the nation and reminded all of us that Uganda can defeat the enemy of coronavirus if all Ugandans will focus on three things:

Distance yourself from people who are coughing or sneezing and reduce all non-essential travel;
Wash your hands often with soap and water;
Do not touch your eyes, nose and mouth with your hands….

Read it all.

Archbishop Kaziimba’s pastoral letter asking Ugandans to work from homehttps://t.co/4MtE1CH7ma

— Anglican Ink (@anglicanink) March 25, 2020

Good day everyone! It’s a wrap!

We now have three living archbishops of the Church of Uganda. Henry Luke Orombi, Stanley Ntagali and now Stephen Kazimba Mugalu.

Congratulations Archbishop Kaziimba. A new chapter starts now.

And that’s all for today’s coverage of this very important event in the Church of Uganda’s life. Thank you for following along.

I will leave you with this picture of Kaziimba flanked by his predecessors . . .

Read it all and enjoy all the terrific pictures.

The Board, Management and Staff of Uganda Civil Aviation Authority congratulate, Bishop Samuel Kazimba, the 9th Archbishop of the Church of Uganda. We join the Church of Uganda in the celebrations today. @ChurchofUganda @ruthnankabirwa1 @UgandaMediaCent @vluggya @LukeOrombi pic.twitter.com/HLo6iwsXmI

— Uganda CAA (@UgandaCAA) March 1, 2020

Greetings were brought by Anglican representatives from global regions – The Most Rev. and Rt. Hon. Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury and Primate of All England, brought greetings from England, the UK and Europe.

The Most Rev. Miguel Uchoa, Archbishop of the Anglican Church in Brazil brought greetings from the Americas.

The Rt. Rev. Malcolm Richards from Sydney Diocese, Australia, brought greetings from Asia and Oceania.

The Most Rev. Laurent Mbanda, Archbishop of Rwanda and Vice-Chair of the Gafcon Primates’ Council, brought greetings from Africa.

The preacher for the service was the Most Rev. Foley Beach, Chairman of the Gafcon Primates’ Council and Archbishop of the Anglican Church in North America. Preaching from John 20.19-31, Archbishop Beach noted that the first thing the risen Lord Jesus did was to commission his disciples by saying, “As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.”

Jesus came to us, he said, in Incarnate Love, Servant Love, Sacrificial Love, and Steadfast Love. He concluded that Jesus is commissioning Archbishop Kaziimba – and all Christian leaders – in the same way. As the Father sent Jesus, so Jesus is sending the new Archbishop in this new ministry.

The Most Rev. Stanley Ntagali, retiring Archbishop, handed over the Provincial Staff to Archbishop Kaziimba, thus symbolizing the transfer of spiritual authority from one Archbishop to another. Archbishop Kaziimba was then seated in the Primatial Chair at St. Paul’s Cathedral, Namirembe.

Read it all.

Rev. Stephen Kaziimba was today enthroned as the 9th Archbishop of the Church of Uganda.

In honour of the occasion, here’s a photo from @ubctvuganda‘s excellent archive. It shows the Archbishop of Canterbury–Geoffrey Fisher–preaching at Namirembe Cathedral on 6 April 1961. pic.twitter.com/toBbDB00kD

— Derek R Peterson (@Unseen_Archive) March 1, 2020

Local media sources report that the service of enthronement of the new Archbishop of the Church of Uganda will be attended by the President and First Lady, the Prime Minister, the Chief Justice, the Speaker of Parliament and many other government leaders.

In a statement, Church of Uganda revealed that its 39 active Bishops and more than 45 retired Bishops are expected to attend the service of enthronement. In all, they are preparing for 3,000 – 7,000 people.

The Most Rev. Foley Beach, Archbishop of the Anglican Church in North America and Chairman of the Gafcon Primates’ Council is expected to preach at the enthronement.

Read it all.

The chairperson of the Kaziimba enthronement organising committee Hon. Ruth Nankabirwa has said preparations for the installation of the new archbishop have been finalised.

While addressing the media on the progress of the preparations at Namirembe Cathedral in Kampala on Thursday, Nankabirwa said whatever they planned to have in place before the enthronement had been covered, but quickly added that the final renovation works at the cathedral and bishop’s official residence were still ongoing.

“There is still work going on. Our target as (organising) committee is to have first-class facilities to welcome the new Archbishop. It is why we still welcome donations. ,” she said.

Nankabirwa also said they were expecting over 1,500 guests to turn up for the function, but was optimistic the number could shoot to over and above, and that they were still preparing for any eventual number that could attend.

She revealed that the archbishop’s residence would be given a “palace” look once renovation works are complete.

“The archbishop’s residence will be like a palace. The house is now fully furnished, with everything including kitchen utensils. Even chefs will be there. The archbishop will only carry his suitcase,” Nankabirwa said.

Commenting on traffic and security guidelines that will be followed on the day, Nankabirwa said: “security will be beefed up.”

Read it all.

The archbishop-elect comes at a time when the COU lacks a sound political theology necessary to counter the intrigues of Uganda’s secular politics. In fact, his immediate predecessor has several times hushed critics who resolutely dared him to discharge his ‘political’ mandate.

Thus, we have often had and still have great difficulty in determining whether he speaks officially as Uganda’s archbishop, bishop of Kampala and chancellor of the Uganda Christian University (UCU); or privately as Rev Stanley Ntagali!

Little thought has been given to the centrality and impact of sound doctrine in modelling the spiritual life plus character of Anglicans in Uganda—to the extent that today, the COU is fast losing its identity and can easily be mistaken to be part of the so-called ‘Pentecostal’ movement—except that one is just yet to witness electrocution of believers and ‘soccer matches’ inter alia in ‘our’ sanctuaries.

Far more awful to note, is the manner in which many of our ministers—whether in purple or grey or black—have yielded to the wicked lure of searching for the lost coin rather than the lost sheep; not to mention those caught ‘feasting’ on their own ‘sheep’.

To put it crudely, the COU is infested with unscrupulous persons taking advantage of the gaps within the structures to steal church properties, chiefly money and land. To our dismay, they have been rewarded with titles or higher positions.

Read it all.

40 years after his death, #JananiLuwum remains an inspiration to Ugandans and beyond. You will never be forgotten. #JananiLuwumDay pic.twitter.com/qv5YZYqrlg

— This Is Uganda (@ThisIsUganda_) February 16, 2017

In Uganda, during the eight years in the 1970’s when Idi Amin and his men slaughtered probably half a million Ugandans, “We live today and are gone tomorrow” was the common phrase.

We learned that living in danger, when the Lord Jesus is the focus of your life, can be liberating. For one thing, you are no longer imprisoned by your own security, because there is none. So the important security that people sought was to be anchored in God.

As we testified to the safe place we had in Jesus, many people who had been pagan, or were on the fringes of Christianity, flocked to the church or to individuals, asking earnestly, “How do you prepare yourself for death?” Churches all over the country were packed both with members and seekers. This was no comfort to President Amin, who was making wild promises to Libya and other Arab nations that Uganda would soon be a Muslim country. (It is actually 80 per cent Christian)….
It became clear to us through the Scriptures that our resistance was to be that of overcoming evil with good. This included refusing to cooperate with anything that dehumanizes people, but we reaffirmed that we can never be involved in using force or weapons.

…we knew, of course, that the accusation against our beloved brother, Archbishop Janani Luwum, that he was hiding weapons for an armed rebellion, was untrue, a frame-up to justify his murder.

The archbishop’s arrest, and the news of his death, was a blow from the Enemy calculated to send us reeling. That was on February 16, 1977. The truth of the matter is that it boomeranged on Idi Amin himself. Through it he lost respect in the world and, as we see it now, it was the beginning of the end for him.

For us, the effect can best be expressed in the words of the little lady who came to arrange flowers, as she walked through the cathedral with several despondent bishops who were preparing for Archbishop Luwum’s Memorial Service. She said, “This is going to put us twenty times forward, isn’t it?” And as a matter of fact, it did.

More than four thousand people walked, unintimidated, past Idi Amin’s guards to pack St. Paul’s Cathedral in Kampala on February 20. They repeatedly sang the “Martyr’s Song,” which had been sung by the young Ugandan martyrs in 1885. Those young lads had only recently come to know the Lord, but they loved Him so much that they could refuse the evil thing demanded of them by King Mwanga. They died in the flames singing, “Oh that I had wings such as angels have, I would fly away and be with the Lord.” They were given wings, and the singing of those thousands at the Memorial Service had wings too.

–Festo Kivengere, Revolutionary Love, Chapter Nine