Kasamba: A shepherd of the forgotten rests

By Jimmy Siyasa

The Rev. Canon Kasamba Lusaniya often made trips to Luzira Prison, Uganda’s largest detention center. At the prison, he always preferred to spend more time with inmates on death row, encouraging them not to lose hope on life.

After long conversations, he would ask the inmates to pray for him, just as he prayed for them. One common phrase of encouragement to the prisoners was to remind them that he could well die before they did. True to the prediction, at age 86 years, Church of Uganda icon Kasamba died on June 18, 2026. And the prisoners on death row are still alive as no one has been executed in Uganda’s prisons since 1999.

He was predeceased by his wife, Salome Unigewu, with whom he raised eight children. At the time of his death, Kasamba had 16 grandchildren. 

Kasamba after being honored at the 2025 graduation at the UCU main campus. Left is UCU Chancellor Archbishop Stephen Kaziimba and right is the Rt. Rev. Prof. Alfred Olwa, the Chairperson of UCU Governing Council

Four years before Kasamba’s death, his routine visits to the prison changed as frailty was finally catching up with him. The visitor soon became the visited. For instance, on June 13, 2022, Anglican Archbishop Samuel Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu visited him at his home. 

“This afternoon, I paid a courtesy visit to our mentor, the Rev. Canon Lusaniya Kasamba, in his home in Mukono, to pray with him and appreciate God for his contribution to ministry,” Kaziimba tweeted in 2022.

“The Rev. Kasamba is a great resource to many people, especially those of us he taught Church history,” Kaziimba said during the 2022 visit.

In hindsight, visits like these seemed to be silent goodbyes from the world to Kasamba. The cleric and Kaziimba met at Bishop Tucker College, while the former was a lecturer of Church History in the college, and the latter, a student at the institution. In 1997, Bishop Tucker College evolved into the Uganda Christian University. Kasamba became the university’s first chaplain, holding the position in an acting capacity from 1997 to 2001, when he was replaced by the Rev. Dr. John Senyonyi.

Born in 1940, Kasamba’s life spanned some of the most turbulent decades of Uganda’s history, through which he remained a steady pastoral presence. As the University Chaplain of Makerere’s St. Francis Chapel from 1978 to 1987, Kasamba transformed the institution’s Anglican community into a major national hub for evangelical renewal, discipleship and community leadership development.

He became a stabilising spiritual presence, ministering to students, staff and faculty with integrity and clarity. His preaching was biblically grounded, weaving theological depth together with storytelling and humour. He offered counsel, led vibrant fellowships and mentored young Christians, many of whom would go on to lead in the church, government and civil society.

In 1987, following his ministry at Makerere, Kasamba joined Bishop Tucker Theological College in Mukono, where he taught Church History. When the college became UCU in 1997, he became part of the university’s history, as one of the institution’s founding members of faculty, serving in the dual roles of lecturer and chaplain until 2001.

As a teacher, Kasamba had a rare gift: he brought history to life. His classes were as much formational as they were academic. He connected the story of the Anglican tradition in Uganda to the ministry challenges of the present, drawing on illustrations, humour and lived experience.

As UCU’s first chaplain, he was determined to reach people in their own languages; his accessibility to students and staff, and his storytelling-driven preaching made him loved across the campus. 

He set the tone of a Christ-centred service that has outlasted his tenure and continues to define the institution today.

At the 26th graduation ceremony held on July 4, 2025, UCU awarded Kasamba an honorary award in recognition of his distinguished service to the university and the church. 

Eulogies

UCU Chancellor, Archbishop Stephen Kaziimba: He taught me Church History at UCU. He was a great disciplinarian, passionate evangelist and a role model to those he mentored.

Chairperson of UCU Governing Council, the Rt. Rev. Prof. Alfred Olwa: As chaplain, his presence was steady and reassuring. Many of us were shaped more by his character than by his lectures, his integrity, his simplicity and his consistent pastoral concern for each student.

UCU Vice Chancellor, Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi: As UCU, we are proudly associated to this man. He taught many theologians, mentored many people and was a parishioner here (at Thornycroft Chapel) even when he was too frail to walk.

UCU Theologian Canon Dr. Moses Isabirye: Kasamba has been an encyclopedia of theology, as well as an evangelist, teacher, chaplain and mentor. Thanks to God for his example and legacy.  

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