Janani Jakaliya Luwum (c. 1922 – 17 February 1977), was the Archbishop
of the Church of Uganda from 1974 to 1977 and one of the most influential
leaders of the modern church in Africa. He was murdered in 1977 by either Idi
Amin personally or by Amin's henchmen.
Luwum was born in the village of
Mucwini in the Kitgum District to Acholi parents. 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. In 1950 he was attached to St. Philip's Church in Gulu. 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 1961 he was consecrated bishop of the Anglican Church Province of Northern
Uganda at 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
After its founding in 1877 by
the Church Missionary Society, the Church grew through the evangelization of
Africans by Africans. The first Ugandan clergy were ordained in 1893 and the
Church of Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi became an independent Province in 1961.
The history of the Church in Uganda has been marked by civil strife and
martyrdom. In May 1980 the new Province of Burundi, Rwanda, and Zaire was
inaugurated; the Province of Uganda has grown since then from seventeen to
twenty-seven dioceses.
Each diocese is divided into archdeaconries, each headed by a senior priest
known as an archdeacon. The archdeaconries are further subdivided into parishes,
headed by a parish priest. Parishes are subdivided into sub-parishes, headed by
lay readers. As of the 2002 Census, 8,782,821 Ugandans (35.9% of the
population) consider themselves affiliated with the church
The Rt. Rev. Stanley Ntagali was elected the 8th Archbishop of the Church
of Uganda. The election was held during a meeting of the House of Bishops on
Friday, 22nd June, 2012, at St. Paul's Cathedral, Namirembe.
The election was by secret ballot and was presided over by the Provincial
Chancellor. Bishop Ntagali was elected with more than a two-thirds majority,
per the Constitution of the Church of Uganda.
Bishop Ntagali was consecrated Bishop on 19th December 2004 and has served
as the Bishop of Masindi-Kitara Diocese for eight years.
Born in Ndorwa County in Kabale District in 1955, he shifted with his
family to Wambabya Parish in Kizirifumbi Sub-county in Hoima District when he
was 16 years old. On Christmas Eve 1974, at the age of 19, he accepted Jesus
Christ as his personal Lord and Saviour and was born again.
He began working as a teacher in Wambabya Primary School, and later spent
two years as a missionary in Karamoja Diocese. He did his theological training
at Bishop Tucker Theological College, St. Paul's Theological College, Limuru,
Kenya, and the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies in the UK.
After serving as a missionary in Karamoja Diocese, he served the remainder
of his priestly ministry in various capacities in Bunyoro-Kitara Diocese until
2002, when he was appointed Provincial Secretary.
As a Bishop, Bishop Ntagali has represented the Archbishop in international
meetings, served as the Chair of the Church House Board, and led the committee
that designed guidelines for retiring Bishops.
Bishop Ntagali is married to Beatrice and they have five children.
On 8th January 2012 Archbishop Henry Orombi announced his intention to
retire after nine years of service to continue a ministry of preaching, which
has been his passion. He said, "I want to devote the rest of my life,
while I am still able, to fulfilling this calling full-time."
Archbishop Henry Luke Orombi has served as the 7th Archbishop of the Church
of Uganda. Elected in July 2003, he was installed as Archbishop on 25th January
2004 at St. Paul's Cathedral, Namirembe. He has served with distinction for
nine years; consecrated 25 new Bishops and launched four new Dioceses. It is
under his leadership that construction has begun on Church House, and his
successor will dedicate it next year, God willing.
To be eligible to be an Archbishop, one must already be serving as a Bishop
in the Church of Uganda, and must be at least 50 years old. Out of the 35
Bishops currently active in the Church of Uganda, 29 were eligible to become
Archbishop.
The installation of the new Archbishop is expected to take place on 16th
December at St. Paul's Cathedral, Namirembe. At that time, Archbishop Henry
Orombi will hand over the pastoral staff to Archbishop-elect Stanley Ntagali
who will then be invested with the authority to lead the Church of Uganda as
Archbishop. The Presiding Bishop at the enthronement will be the Dean of the
Province, who is the longest serving Bishop in the Church at that time.
Between now and December, Archbishop Henry Orombi will continue to do the work of the Archbishop and the Bishop of Kampala Diocese, as well as bid farewell to each of the 34 Dioceses.
The Archbishop-elect will say farewell to his Diocese and prepare to move to Kampala. His current Diocese will elect a new Bishop, since he will leave his Diocese to also become the Bishop of Kampala Diocese.
The previous Archbishops of the Church of Uganda have been the following:
1. Archbishop Leslie Brown, a British missionary, was the first Archbishop of Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and Boga-Zaire (1961-1966)
2. Archbishop Erica Sabiti (1966 - 1974)
3. Archbishop Janani Luwum (1974 - 1977). Martyred in 1977.
4. Archbishop Silvanus Wani (1977 - 1983). In 1980, Rwanda, Burundi, and Boga-Zaire became a separate, Francophone Province, and Uganda became its own Province.
5. Archbishop Yona Okoth (1983 - 1995)
6. Archbishop Livingstone Mpalanyi-Nkoyoyo (1995 - 2004)
7. Archbishop Henry Luke Orombi (2004 - 2012)
