By Kefa Senoga
The word “Kivebulaya” means “from Europe.” The Rev. Dr. Henry Majwala got that nickname from a grandmother who prophesied that her grandson would one day travel to the Western world to gain more knowledge. That prophesy, Majwala narrated, left him unsettled until he eventually travelled to the West, to fulfill his grandmother’s wish.
“I promised her that one day I would study abroad and return as a learned person,” Majwala, the Assistant Chaplain at Uganda Christian University (UCU), said during a recent interview he granted Partners.
Indeed, for his second master’s degree, Majwala pursued the Master of Divinity at the Western Theological Seminary in Holland, Mich. Majwala’s PhD, which was in the discipline of theology, though not from a university in the West, but still away from Uganda in South Africa. Majwala got his PhD honors in December last year.
Majwala, who recently acquired a PhD in education from the Nelson Mandela University in South Africa, says he has been a student pursuing different courses from diploma level, progressing through different postgraduate courses leading to his doctorate.
It was Majwala’s paternal grandmother who took up the mantle of raising him, but that was not for long. By Primary Five, she was not in a position to continue educating her grandson as she had run out of resources. For the next two years, Majwala was at home.
Naiga Alexander, who was a teacher and the wife of his father’s uncle, eventually came to Majwala’s rescue, supporting him to return to school again.
“When she heard that I was not studying, she came home and took me to another school, St Joseph’s Kinoni Primary School in central Uganda,” Majwala said. “She requested the headteacher to allow me to study without paying.”
From Kinoni, Naiga enrolled Majwala into Seeke Islamic Secondary School, which took him in as a school dependant.
“I was supposed to work as a manual laborer for the school in exchange for fees, so I engaged in making bricks, slashing the compound and fetching water for the teachers,” he recounts.“Back home, I would sell firewood, brooms, and bananas to acquire other basic needs and upkeep.”.
In 1995, shortly after completing Senior Three, Majwala’s grandmother died. It meant that he was unable to remain at home on his own.
It’s then that he moved to Mukono to look for his maternal uncle, Jackson Matovu, the retired bishop of central Buganda Diocese. Matovu offered to support his nephew, enabling him to enroll at Bishop Senior School in Mukono, where he completed both his O’level and A’level.
Having given his life to Christ earlier in 1996, Majwala recommitted himself to Christ again in 1999. A year later, he joined a group of young people from Mukono diocese who went to train as clergy following a call from the diocese. They pursued a diploma in theology at Uganda Martyrs Seminary Namugongo. In 2003, he was ordained a deacon and assigned to serve in a parish within Mukono Diocese.
While ministering in a parish, Majwala met the Bishop of Mukono at the time, Eria Paul Luzinda, who encouraged and supported him to join UCU and pursue a Bachelor of Theology. From UCU, he joined Ndejje University in 2007 to pursue a postgraduate diploma in education. From Ndejje, he did not take any break. In 2009, he was back to UCU, to pursue a master’s in Human Resource Management in Education. Upon graduation, Majwala was appointed the diocesan secretary of Mukono Cathedral. In 2017, Majwala joined St. Francis Chapel, Makerere University, as part of the clergy.
In addition to church administration, Majwala has also been actively involved in teaching for nearly two decades. His teaching journey began in 2006 at his alma mater, Uganda Martyrs Namugongo Seminary and continued at Ndejje University in 2016, where he lectured on Christian ethics and human resource. Currently, he teaches theology and foundational courses at UCU.
Majwala is married to Irene Nakamatte, a professional nurse.
“When Irene and I met, I had a diploma, and she had a certificate from Mengo School of Nursing,” Majwala said. “Now, she has a master’s degree, and I have a PhD.”
The couple has three children with the oldest in Senior Six, the middle child in Primary Seven and their youngest child in kindergarten.
Majwala says he hopes to undertake a postdoctoral program and continue inspiring others through his story of resilience, faith, and determination.
+++++
To support Uganda Christian University programs, students, activities and services, go to www.ugandapartners.org and click on the “donate” button, or contact UCU Partners
Executive Director, Mark Bartels, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org. Also, follow us on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Facebook
You must be logged in to post a comment.