By Jumah Kakomo
Uganda government is working on a plan to upgrade the burial site of the late St. Janani Jakaliya Luwum who was murdered during the reign of former president of Uganda the late Idd Amin Dadda in 1977.
The development has been revealed by the State minister for ethics and integrity Hon. Rose Akello Lilly ahead of commemoration of the death of St. Janani Jakaliya Luwum on 16th/February/2020.
The main celebrations will be held at Kololo ceremonial grounds under the theme “Hope beyond Affliction” led by the archbishop of the church of Uganda, The Most Rev. Dr. Samuel Steven Kaziimba Mugalu, and president Yoweri Kaguta Tibuhaburwa Museveni as the chief guest.
She says, the government has been holding various meetings regarding making the site upgraded so that it becomes a tourism centre.
St. Janani Luwum was born in 1922 at Acholi in Uganda, who spent his childhood and early youth tending goats, but earned a reputation as a quick learner when opportunities arose. He became a teacher and was converted to Christianity in the East Africa Revival on January 6, 1948.
Janani Luwum became a Ugandan parish priest during 1956. He faithfully served in that position until 1969 when he was elected to serve the Northern portion of Uganda a Bishop. This too he did faithfully and with the admiration of others. However, these were very troubled times in Uganda. In less than two years after becoming a bishop, the reign of terror perpetrated by Idi Amin began on January 25, 1971.
It was in 1974 that Janani Luwum was chosen as the Archbishop of Uganda, a time when Idi Amin’s reign of terror was already in full force. Bishop Luwum made it his business to confront the injustices and atrocities of Amin. He did this first by personal, at first with private admonitions. He took his criticism public in a radio address in 1976 at Christmas. His sermon felt the power of censorship before he even finished.
The Bishop then threatened a public demonstration, and he worked to bring his Anglicans, other Protestant groups, and the Catholics together in opposition to Amin.
Amin’s reaction was swift and without mercy. The Bishop’s home was plundered during a 1:30 a.m. raid on Saturday, February 5, 1977. It was said they were looking for guns but none were found. This brought a piercing censure of Amin from the Ugandan House of Bishops. Luwum was then confined and confronted by Amin himself. Two days later he was accused of treason and arms smuggling at a public rally in Kampala. This set the stage for a second confinement which ended in Luwum’s death.
He was tried by Amin’s court on February 16. Luwum was not even allowed to speak and it is believed that he was shot that same night.
It was reported in Uganda that Luwum escaped and in his flight, was involved in an automobile accident that resulted in his death. The reality was that his body was riddled with bullets and only planted in a fake car crash.
