The Archbishop of the Provincial Church of Uganda, Rev. Dr. Samuel Stephen Kazimba Mugalu, hands over a copy of the holy Bible to Rev. Dr. John Kitayimbwa during his ordination at All Saints Cathedral on Sunday, December 6, 2020.
By Douglas Olum
Atop the Nakasero Hill in Kampala, on a clear December 6, 2020, Sunday morning, sweet melodies from a Christian hymn song ring through the open doors and windows of a towering, red-tile-roofed, cream painted building, into the trees, houses and the open sky of the neighborhood. Men, women and a few children were trickling into the All Saints Cathedral premises, to praise and worship God as life returns to Ugandan Churches after six months of the COVID-19 induced closure.
Inside, 13 men and three women were set to be ordained into Christian ministry for the Anglican Church; two of them as deacons and 14 as priests. Among them was the Uganda Christian University (UCU) Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Academic Affairs, Rev. Dr. John Kitayimbwa. He was being ordained into priesthood. According to the Anglican Church of Uganda, priests are called to be servants and shepherds to proclaim God’s word.
Rev. Dr. John Kitayimbwa with his family shortly after his ordination.
With his hand raised up high, Dr. Kitayimbwa, the father of three and husband to Rev. Lydia Nsali Kitayimbwa, was singing and praising the Lord; his face lit with joy. Right behind him was his wife, equally full of joy.
“Seeing him join this great ministry really keeps me excited, and I know that not even the sky is the limit,” Mrs. Kitayimbwa said after the service, “I know God has a lot in store for us so we just pray that He humbles us and we remain under his Mighty hand that He may use us to the glory of His name.” She said having her husband join the Christian ministry was both a great spiritual support to her and a sign that the presence of God rests in their home, where their ministry starts.
As the service commenced, Kitayimbwa said that he felt a very heavy weight over his shoulders, presumably signifying the weight of the task ahead of him. But with God’s guidance, he believed he would weather the test of time and bear fruits.
“My major role now is that of a priest because when you are called to come close to God to be with God in His vineyard to work with Him, it is a blessing,” Dr. Kitayimbwa said, “Whether I am at UCU or outside UCU, this call on my life is to serve God’s people, and I will do it diligently.”
Asked what impact he thinks his ordination would have on his service at the university, Dr. Kitayimbwa said, “I am going to freely share the word of God even as I do my role as the DVC at UCU. I am going to try and follow Christ as I imitate Him in order to draw more people to the Kingdom of God. In whichever situation, I will ask myself what would Christ have done? And I think that is what is going to be my motto going forward.”
Dr. Kitayimbwa holds a PhD in Computational Biology, and he is a senior lecturer in mathematics. He was first ordained as deacon in 2019, the same year he was appointed as Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at UCU.
Dr. Kitayimbwa said his calling to be a priest started a long time ago but it took him time to realize that he was being called. And now, whatever achievement he attained in his past life, he counts it but loss, like Paul says in Philippians 3:8-10 (8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in[a] Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.)
The Dec. 6 ordination service was presided over by the Kampala Diocese bishop who also doubles as the Archbishop of the Provincial Church of Uganda, the Most Rev. Dr. Samuel Stephen Kazimba Mugalu.
The Archbishop reminded the new priests that their answer to the calling was a life-time commitment for God’s glory and strengthening of His Kingdom. He noted that they would only be able to maintain the call by praying, believing and relying on the strength of God and his grace given in the Word, and not their individual strengths.
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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 FaceBook and Instagram.
Attendees listen to professional counsel during the legal aid clinic at All Saints Cathedral, Nakasero.
By Constantine Odongo
Kafumbe Kiiza is a taxi driver in Kampala, Uganda. Although his dream was to earn a living off of cars, he never saw himself as a driver. His first love was repairing cars.
As such, six years ago, he enrolled into an institute in Kampala to pursue a course in motor vehicle mechanics. Kiiza had a steady flow of income to pay tuition for his course. The now 30-year-old was a salesman at a shop in the city suburb of Nsambya, opposite the St. Francis Hospital gate and about 5 kilometers (3 miles) from the city centre. His widowed mother, Petrolina Nakalema, and one of Kiiza’s brothers operated adjacent shops – all on land owned by and supporting the family of 12.
Solomon Byamukama, left, a fourth-year law student at UCU, is interviewed by a reporter from The Standard newspaper.
Darkness One Monday morning in 2014, Kiiza and his family woke up to a rude shock. Five shops, including the ones where Kiiza, his brother and his mother worked, were razed and the plot of land fenced off with iron sheets.
They were alarmed and questioned who might do this when they still had 23 three years on the lease. Never did it ever cross their minds that some other people also claimed ownership of the same plot of land. When they sought answers from authorities, Kiiza says the family was informed that a neighbouring school was responsible for fencing off the land.
In the process of seeking justice, Kiiza’s family changed lawyers three times, due mostly to high legal costs.
Light Such is one case brought to light during a legal aid clinic conducted by Uganda Christian University’s (UCU) law fraternity on Saturday, September 21, 2019, at All Saints Cathedral, Nakasero. Kiiza did not plan to attend the clinic. In fact, he did not even intend to be at All Saints Cathedral that Saturday.
Kiiza was going about his usual duties of driving a commuter taxi that day. He received a call to transport people to and from a wedding at the cathedral. While waiting on his passengers for the return trip, he roamed the cathedral. He wandered pass UCU’s tear drop banners into a white tent for the free legal aid clinic conducted by UCU.
“It’s the first time I’ve heard ‘pro bono’,” Kiiza said of the term that means legal work without cost.
Lazaka Tibakuno, a development assistant at UCU, said the team that day was comprised of five lecturers (with four practicing lawyers) in the university’s faculty of law, 15 law students and representatives from the university’s law society. The clinic was timed to promote the Sept. 29, 2019, “UCU Sunday.” The third annual UCU Sunday is set aside by the House of Bishops of the Church of Uganda, marked on the last Sunday of September every year. The purpose is to support UCU as the Anglican Church joins in solidarity to support her provincial university in prayer, to increase awareness of UCU value and accountability and offer UCU financial support.
Tibakuno says the university asked faculties to submit proposals about a corporate social responsibility event. From the submissions, he says, the law faculty’s legal aid clinic proposal was found to be the most cost-effective while also touching a core of community need. Two clinics were held on September 21 in Nakasero and on September 22 at St. Philip & Andrew’s Cathedral, Mukono.
Last year’s collection was $52,000, which was earmarked for two projects – 90% towards equipping the laboratories of the UCU School of Medicine and the remainder for scholarships for the clergy and their children under the Bishop Tucker School of Divinity and Theology. Tibakuno says the collections this year will benefit the same purposes.
Solomon Byamukama, a fourth-year law student at the university who has participated in several legal aid clinics before, said Saturday’s event had topics similar to other he has attended with questions involving custody of children and maintenance of the state of a deceased; land matters; the dos and don’ts in writing and executing wills; and issues pertaining to domestic violence.
While most at the clinic were seeking advice on the regular, expected issues like Kiiza’s land dispute, a security officer at a checkpoint asked for help for a brother wrongfully imprisoned on a murder charge.
“Someone had convinced us that we could bribe the prisons staff with some money, so they can release my brother,” he said. “However, I have been advised that we should instead look for ways of supporting the defense team so that they can better represent my brother in court, and, if possible, also secure bail for him.”
For Kiiza, he came, consulted, and left the clinic tent feeling optimistic about a nearly six-year-old land case. As his wedding passengers entered his taxi, he held a piece of paper with contacts of people and organizations that the lawyers advised could be of help to his family, and for free.
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Individuals can be part of the UCU Sunday by contributing towards the special collection in all Anglican churches in Uganda on September 29. Money also can be deposited in Uganda on the UCU Sunday collection account number 16300370000131, in PostBank Uganda or deposited as mobile money on 0772770852. For Americans and others wishing to contribute, go to https://www.ugandapartners.org/donate/ and indicate “UCU Sunday” in the special instructions/comment box or send a check in the mail payable to UCU Partners with instructions for the UCU Sunday designation and to Uganda Partners, P.O. Box 114, Sewickley, Pa. 15143.
Rev. Rebecca Nyegenye (second from left) is surrounded by UCU faculty women at a sendoff to her new position with All Saints Cathedral.
NOTE: Earlier this year, the All Saints’ Cathedral, Kampala, installed the Very Rev. Canon Dr. Rebecca Nyegenye as its provost, making her the first woman to occupy the office in Uganda. Before assuming the office, she served as a chaplain at Uganda Christian University (UCU) for nearly 20 years. The UCU student newspaper, The Standard, recently published an interview by one of its reporters, Benezeri Wanjala Chibita. This interview, shared with UCU Partners, is edited and condensed.
What role do you think God has put you in this position to play? Some of the reasons are yet to be unveiled. There is a job description. (These include) serving as chief administrator of the cathedral, chief financial controller, being in charge of the ministries and the priests. But there is this uniqueness of a role that God himself knows. So I’m still praying and asking God for clear direction of what He wants. But as for now, my desire is that, as a Church in the city, how can we position ourselves to do mission? That’s the cry of my heart. To make sure that the cathedral thrives in being a missionary church so that we can reach out to the ends of the city, and eventually the country with the gospel.
How did your father (a priest) influence your desire to dedicate your life to Christ? My father was consistent, the same today and tomorrow, in his lifestyle. He also was a peacemaker. He loved God with all his heart. God was his consultant. He was a loving father, loving us equally. I wanted to be like him. He died two years ago but when I look around (at other people), I don’t see any comparison with daddy.
The Very Rev. Canon Dr. Rebecca Nyegenye
What are some of your fondest childhood memories? We grew up around the church because of daddy and we would run around, cleaning the church and beating the drums on Christmas. We also did business, carrying sugarcane from down in the river, selling pancakes and groundnuts at school. I didn’t even calculate profits. The needs weren’t so great. If you have a blanket, you don’t even think of a bedsheet.
What point did you decide you’d be a priest? I initially wanted to be a priest. It wasn’t an afterthought. Others discouraged me saying I can’t be a lady that’s a priest. I decided at nine, I told my dad, and he prayed for me. He had his fears but, it was God’s calling on my life. I’ve never regretted it.
At what point did you go to school to train to become a priest? I went after Secondary 4. My father didn’t have money so he educated all seven of us up to S4. He promised each of us a basic education, and he delivered. My two followers and I weren’t able to go to high school immediately, but eventually we went. I went to Bishop Usher Wilson, Buwalasi, in Mbale. Most Bishops went there. It’s now been merged with UCU Mbale Campus.
You now have a PhD. Who inspired you to venture into higher academics? Dr. Olivia Banja. She’s the director of teaching and learning at UCU. We met at a clergy meeting for women, at Makerere. The second time, we were at UCU, and I was serving at Busia Parish. She said that I should go for further studies. I left the parish, and she guided me through the steps I needed to get into theological education. I joined UCU. I got a diploma. After that, I realized I could do better. So, I started a Bachelor of Divinity program. From then on I was encouraged to go further by Bishop Eliphaz Maari, Canon Lusaniya Kasamba, and Dr. Edward Kalengyo. At UCU, I worked under Dr. John Senyonyi (now the Vice Chancellor),and he persuaded me to do a full masters degree. Ofcourse, I can’t forget Prof. Stephen Noll, the former vice-chancellor of UCU. He wrote and gave me recommendations for scholarships, and I was able to get them.
How did you get the masters scholarship? God has been faithful. There was a scholarship named after Bishop Stanway at Trinity School for Ministry. Prof. Noll worked through all the paperwork. I went to the USA and studied for one year, and then I returned to UCU where I wrote my dissertation and graduated. UCU gave me a partial scholarship for my PhD. I received another partial scholarship from World Council of Churches. So for both my Masters and PhD,I didn’t struggle financially. I graduated with my masters in 2006 and started on my doctoral degree in 2009.
What do you miss about UCU? I miss my life with students. It was so interesting. I had really gotten used to my motherly role. Seeing students walk in, walking the talk with the students. Then seeing them graduate with a changed character and moral stability. But also, being there for 18 years, UCU had become my family. I also miss the women fellowships.
What is the biggest setback that you encountered in your life? I would mention two. One is someone I worked with when I had just entered ministry. My life was really tested. I didn’t know you could work with someone that would make life so difficult. You know there are times when someone…will frustrate you, even make allegations in public. I didn’t know that could happen in the church. What helped me get through it was to remember that I wasn’t called by man but by God. I eventually decided to release and forgive him. But that was after some time of prayer and telling God that I want to let this out of my heart. And indeed I did, I have no grudge. When we meet today, we greet.
How did you escape from this situation? Actually when it was so tense, God gave me a breakthrough by opening a door for me to go and study. I learnt that when you are faithful to God, He will always provide a way of escape. He will not leave the situation to burn you for long. Then, I was sick from July 2014 to January 2015; I was at UCU. I was very sick. I knew one thing: If I am going to live, the Lord will heal me. If I die, I’ll be with God in eternity. So that kept me going. Every day I was alive was God’s grace. I was so weak and in so much pain. The UCU community prayed, but it seemed like God wasn’t answering fast enough. At the right moment, God healed me.
You said that you were ready to join God in eternity, if it was His will? Certainly, I couldn’t talk about the sort of death. But my husband being a medical person, trusted that one day my pain would pass. He (took) time off from his work and moved with me to every doctor he thought would help me. He paid for me to go to Nairobi hospital where I was for two weeks, and he was by my side. The Hospital did everything they could. They put me on medication for diabetes and hypertension, because they thought that’s what I had. When God healed me, I was healed completely. There were times when the whole family was in tears because they didn’t know what to do or what the future held.
How did your faith sustain you? My faith never wavered because I was in it. There was no way I could run from it. I was on medication. I looked to God. I spent time and prayed. I didn’t want to miss both. I didn’t want to miss life here, and also in heaven, which is eternal. I kept my hopes high. Sometimes I was overwhelmed by pain. I’d ask God why He isn’t healing me. But in all, He was gracious.
Did those seven months change your outlook on life? I learnt to trust God more. I stopped taking things for granted. My zeal to serve the Lord increased. I lost all the fear I had. I cannot be easily threatened right now. I used to trust and put hope in people. But after getting through that it was a retreat for me to think about God in a fresh way. Right now when I preach, I preach like tomorrow I’m going. My level of ministry went higher. I’m now more focused, more committed to God and more prayerful.
How did people disappointment you during this trying time? There are people that I got to know better for who they are. There are those I had to be careful about after. It was a learning experience for me and there is something that God wanted to teach me. And there is a level God wanted me to rise to. Actually, shortly after that, I became a Canon. There are things that God takes you through for a reason.
What are your most important values? First: Faithfulness to God. Secondly, I love people. Thirdly: Passion for the gospel.
What advice would you give young women who want to go into ministry? Getting into ministry is a calling. If someone is genuinely sure that God is speaking to them, they should join. Someone coming to this ministry should not think about the high position. They should focus on serving the Lord. That, to me, is very pertinent. When I joined ministry, I started out in the rural areas. I never thought I’d work in town. I never prayed for an office. But I have waited on the Lord and I have served Him faithfully, that one I testify. And whenever I feel I’m going astray, I run back to the Lord. He is my only refuge. And even if you told me to compromise this position today, I’d be glad to walk out. Be willing to serve the Lord anywhere.
What will you remember about outgoing Archbishop Stanley Ntagali? (I learned) from the Archbishop that when you work together in church, you are teammates. And I always tell people, that much as he is leaving, we must remain a team. As the head of the team and as a team player, he has been able to understand people’s gifting and seasons. He acts when he is supposed to, of course with God’s guidance. He’s been close to us as individuals. He has been a father and a parent.
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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 mtbartels@gmail.com.
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