Some students from the UCU School of Journalism, Media and Communication lead a song during a recent main campus community worship.
By Christine Mirembe From the majestic sounds of the Umoja choir to the vibrant rhythms of the African beats, streams of melodies flow from the Mukono Nkoyoyo Hall, a symphony of faith and talent that engulfs the ambiance at Uganda Christian University (UCU).
Music is the universal language that bridges cultural and linguistic divides, a powerful force that holds the UCU community in a shared experience of worship, comfort and joy.
Under the leadership of Mr. Omiel Nathan, the overall Music Director at UCU since 2009, the Mustard Seed choir, the Chapel choir or the Umoja choir unite every Tuesday and Thursday at midday (12 Noon to 1 p.m. East Africa Time) to lead the UCU community in worship and prayer for an hour, aside from the Sunday worship services.
“There is a lot of diversity that is shown in the uniqueness of song choices, from the songs in regular church worship to church hymns that define the Anglican communion,” Mr. Nathan said. “We are serving God with the uniqueness that every person brings from wherever they come.”
Audience during community worship music in Nkoyoyo
The director noted that the music groups are non-denominational but that members are expected to adhere to Anglican ministry as the Church of Uganda has oversight for UCU.
The university-led groups also lead the larger UCU community in worship and prayer in two services on Sunday morning. Occasionally, groups like the Uganda Mother’s Union are invited on the stage to lead songs.
The Umoja choir, whose name originates from the Swahili word “umoja” meaning “one,” is a vibrant combination of the Chapel and the Mustard Seed choirs. The Mustard Seed choir gets its name from the biblical Mark 4:31 reference to the seed as “the smallest of all seeds of earth,” but “when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants.” When the chapel and seed choirs come together, often during special functions, they form a united voice, aptly named Umoja choir, blending their hearts and voices as one.
The choirs’ repertoire is a global musical journey, featuring songs from every corner of the world. The type and content of music used during prayer gatherings is usually aligned to themes of the respective services. In some cases, the UCU Chaplaincy is engaged with selections. Most songs are in English, but sometimes Luganda and other mother tongue translations are engaged with words on screens to help the congregation join in.
A recent service featured “Jesus paid it all” and “Forever,” the latter of which reminded church-goers that God’s “love endures forever.”
The choirs practice at least once a week with instrumentalists (drums, keyboard, guitar). The practice includes music, fellowship and prayer.
“Music is generally loved by everyone,” said Treasure Jemima, a music director for the 27-year-old Mustard Seed choir. “You find that some people come to church for only praise and worship, so music is what draws them to church.”
Aside from a commitment to practice and dedication to serve God through songs, there are no requirements to join a choir at UCU.
In addition to directors, each choir has a chairperson informally called “Papa” and a vice chairperson, casually called “Mama” or vice versa depending on the gender of the person in the roles. The chairpersons are in charge of uniforms or designating colors for members to wear and focused on instrumental accompaniment.
While vocalists may practice only once a week, instrumentalists could rehearse more. At that, some feel it’s not enough.
Joel Namonyo, a bass guitarist and aUCU student in the Faculty of Engineering, Design and Technology, feels his rehearsal isn’t enough, but he is nevertheless committed to his role.
“I think music is an important aspect that helps bring an environment of praise and worship,” he said. “It is a form of ministry.”
Kalule George, a student in UCU’s School of Law, says gathering as a community under the umbrella of music is effective for keeping up spiritual nourishment, as well as being updated about university activities as most of them are announced during services.
Music, which has been part of UCU almost from its inception in 1997, transcends mere co-curricular activities. It is the needle that stitches the UCU community under a blanket of unity and the universal language that resonates with students, faculty members and staff, creating a shared experience beyond academics.
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Uganda Christian University has many stories like this one. To support 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.
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.
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.
Doug Fountain (left) with some of the UCU School of Medicine of students in Mengo, Uganda. (UCUPartners’ Photo)
By Brendah Ndagire
In February 2019, Uganda Christian University Partners’ USA- based Consultant, Doug Fountain, conducted a series of consultation meetings in Uganda and other African countries. He met with medical education experts involved with the Christian Medical and Dental Association (USA), representatives from Johnson and Johnson Global Community Impact and Novartis Social Business, medical education leaders from Kabarak University, Kenya, and local leaders from the Ministry of Health and Mengo Hospital. This interview, edited for clarity, explores why building partnerships is an important aspect of growing and sustaining Uganda Christian University (UCU) School of Medicine.
Could you briefly introduce yourself? My name is Doug Fountain. I am a consultant with Uganda Christian University (UCU) Partners, in support of the Uganda Christian University School of Medicine. Also, I am Executive Director for a Christian organization called Christian Connection for International Health. I’ve worked in health care for almost 30 years.
What does your role with UCU Partners entail?
As a consultant, I am supporting UCU Partners to develop a strategy for providing the resources needed to support the School of Medicine. In the past, I worked with UCU and helped to start the Department of Health Sciences. About a year ago, I finished working with an NGO and set up a consulting group to support organizations like this, and UCU Partners was actually the first organization that reached out to ask, “Can you help us with the School of Medicine?” I have been working with (UCU Partners) since June 2018.
Why are partnerships important to the School of Medicine? There is no way that UCU can start a medical school on its own. It has to have partnerships that bring a combination of human resources, education materials, books, financial support, and research opportunities. The financial support helps implement the first phase of the project, such as to build the school and attract and retain high-quality staff. Partnership takes the form of donation of products, goods, (and) services like volunteers to work.
Dr. Miriam Mutabazi (left), Doug Fountain (second from left), and their consultation team, meeting with Dr. Henry Mwebesa (right) of Ministry of Health, Uganda. (UCUPartners Photo)
What can UCU do to best equip current medical and dental students?
It is going to take a combination of supporting them to have the right attitude and to have the right technical skills. This gets formed in part by the Christian character of training – an attitude that emphasizes dignity of the patient, compassionate care and high ethical standards. Those are critical, but then (the university) has to make sure that it is providing training that is current and informed by evidence-based practice. The medical field is always evolving with new information, research, and new insights. The medical school has to give the most important information to students as they come through. Medical practitioners have to think fast because what they memorized 30 years ago may no longer be the best practice. They have to take some time taking in new information, conducting research and figuring out how to adapt their practice to new evidence.
Uganda Christian University is a provincial institution of the Church of Uganda (CoU). Where do you see the role of the CoU in the School of Medicine project?
The Church’s role is critical. There are very few instances in the world that I know of, where such a large Church structure has both a well-developed university and hospitals, including Mengo. The Church is providing a vision for health that says, “we will seek to have the CoU health services be the best health services available.” We hope to see this thinking grow to include more support for medical training in the CoU system and, eventually, employment of graduates. There should be a syncing between the School of Medicine, the broader Church and all its health facilities in Uganda.
What already existing private or public health institutions can be partnership opportunities for UCU? A university could offer to do research projects with UCU in which they support a part of the training that is happening. For instance, imagine training in cancer care. There may be research funding available to help UCU figure out oncology patient care better and the partner may provide some equipment, training and financial resources to help the School of Medicine do this. There are also grants that come from foundations and corporations. Corporations are interested in building capacity of the health systems to provide good quality care. I think there are many partners out there who haven’t yet thought about how to engage with medical education. For example, if (an institution) is doing a malaria control program, then can the NGOs think about sending people for advanced training?
During your time here, you also met with one of UCU’s potential partners, Medical Teams International. As a Christian NGO, where do you see its role in accompanying UCU School of Medicine? Medical Teams International provides medical care for over 800,000 refugees in Uganda. And it is not just refugees; they also provide health care for more than 400,000 people through their network of 58 health facilities. So they employ lots of medical doctors, clinical officers, and nurses. Since it is a faith-based institution, they are potential employers for future UCU School of Medicine graduates.
What do you see as the challenges involved with the UCU School of Medicine?
I don’t think there is anything easy about raising resources for the School of Medicine. Sometimes people assume that medical and dental students are better off, they are privileged, and heading to jobs that would be better-paying jobs. The reality is most of the students who have come to participate in these programs do not have the means to pay for their basic education. It is really a testimony to the faith of students who have come to study that they will find the resources. We need to educate our donors to be able to support the School of Medicine. One of the threats to high-quality medical education is when universities start up programs but cannot get quality resources together. They start occupying clinical training spaces, and starting producing graduates that are crowding the field, and they haven’t been able to measure up to the quality of other high-quality programs. UCU has been able to measure up so far, and have a high-quality program.
Recognizing other challenges, such as the limited space for learning, the need for laboratory equipment, lack of full-time staff, the expense of medical school, and the need for quality medical doctors in Uganda, how do we mobilize people to support this needed initiative? Keep raising awareness of the need and continuously telling stories of the amazing students who are part of the School of Medicine. We have very committed students who want to make a change in the health sector and do a great job serving people. We have to tell their stories. Since this is a pioneer class, you have to create the path. This means UCU has to find the basic resources. Currently, it has 60 students. In 5 years, there will be 300 students in total. It would need more classroom space. And UCU is already thinking about that.
As a UCU Partners Consultant, what gives you hope and joy when you think about this project? There is a lot of good faith from students and partners that the university is a high-quality (University). If it is committed to something, it will see it through well. UCU has a great history with its Nursing program, Law program and other programs that have made a huge impact in the country and beyond. It is easy to believe that the School of Medicine would do the same. What we see with the Nursing program alone, 14 years after it was launched, is it helping to change the face of nursing in Uganda. What would it look like if 14 years from now a Christian medical program is able to change the face of medical care in Uganda?
UCU Partners Consultant Doug Fountain (third from left) with affiliates from Johnson and Johnson Global Community Impact, Novartis Social Business and Kabarak University, Kenya at the UCU School of Medicine. (UCUPartners Photo)
By Brendah Ndagire
In Uganda, there is 1 doctor per 65,000 people, and 1 dentist per 175,000 people. With more health workers, Ugandans will have better access to adequate healthcare, live longer, and have more dignified lives. Higher learning institutions in Uganda such as Makerere University and Uganda Christian University (UCU) are already recognizing this great need for more medical workers.
In February 2019, Doug Fountain, former faculty and administrator at UCU, returned to Uganda and UCU to conduct a series of consultation meetings. He saw the persistent challenge of inadequate health workers as a need for “not just filling clinical or hospital positions with just anybody to increase the number of doctors or dentists in Uganda,” but “to have high quality and trained doctors and dentists come out to fill these gaps.” Medical practitioners and other stakeholders need to continually ask, “what do we have to do to increase access to affordable, quality health care in Uganda?” He added that if educational institutions in Uganda do not invest in providing high-quality medical education, the health sector systems suffer.
Medical education institutions, such as Uganda Christian University, need to start connecting these dots, Doug asserted. Part of that connection for training institutions involves building and sustaining strong internal and external partnerships. Partners during Doug’s recent Uganda trip and who echoed his assertions were affiliates of the Christian Medical and Dental Association (USA), Johnson and Johnson Global Community Impact (Kenya), Novartis Social Business (Kenya) and Kabarak University (Kenya). Sitting together at the UCU School of Medicine, they sought to learn from UCU’s new experience of launching a medical school in September 2018.
Pictured after one meeting are (left to right) Dr. Jim Smith of the Christian Medical and Dental Association (USA); UCU Head of Nursing Jemimah Mutabaazi; Doug Fountain; Dr. Miriam Mutabazi (acting SoM director); Deputy Vice Chancellor David Mugawe; and a representative from Johnson and Johnson Global Impact, Kenya. (UCUPartners Photo)
Dr. Miriam Mutabazi of the UCU School of Medicine, and Executive Director of Save the Mothers, also was part of the partnership-seeking consultation meetings. While meeting with different stakeholders, other partners were identified. Among local partners targeted to be at the table were the Church of Uganda, Mengo Hospital, Makerere University, Uganda’s Ministry of Education and Sports, and the Ministry of Health.
“The formal role is that the University is operating under the Ministry of Education and Sports and the Ministry of Health through its branches, such as Uganda Medical and Dental Practitioners’ Council,” Doug said. “They approve the curriculum and the teaching facilities. They also certify the medical training.”
Doug defined the informal role that “both sectors should play, include creating a conducive context for the school.” Informally, the players create policies and standards for the practice for the school. According to Doug, these include “internship management, clinical practice management, and helping hospitals navigate how to do placements for students.”
The system would benefit if both the Ugandan Education and Sports and the Health Ministries were active in resource mobilization, Doug said. He also observed an education gap, noting there are “very few donors or organizations invested in supporting medical education, particularly among high-quality private providers.”
Among East African partners who can also be viewed as external collaborators, Doug identified Kabarak University in Kenya, and Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center in Tanzania for UCU to consider. These universities have the same values of a Christ-centered higher education, integrated with science and medical education.
“We are seeing that Uganda is participating in the East African-wide set of medical standards,” Doug said. “That is helping to set an international or high bar for what quality health care means. (With about) 27 medical school across East Africa, if they are all held to the same standards, that is great. The whole region needs more high-quality medical practitioners, but it is good to have this higher level of standards. And by Uganda participating in that broader community, we expect overall health care quality to improve.”
Doug believes that the UCU School of Medicine can benefit from these coordinated partnerships in the form of faculty development workshops or curriculum development across institutions that are trying to define what it means to be a Christian and a medical practitioner.
“The partners that exist in East Africa are relevant,” Doug said. “Some of the multinational corporations that exist, such as Johnson and Johnson or Novartis, have global headquarters in North America or Europe, but they run their Africa strategy through an office in, for instance, Nairobi. The people in Nairobi have to know what is happening here in Uganda. That may look or feel like an internal partner when in fact they are also global partners.”
The School of Medicine students can benefit from the experiences of people who work with these companies, and who also have a comprehensive perspective on private and public medical practices in East Africa. According to Doug, the UCU School of Medicine can help in filling in gaps that exist in Uganda’s health sector, but it cannot do it on its own.
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In Part II, Uganda Christian University Partners will share an interview with Doug to explore further why building partnerships is an important aspect of sustaining UCU School of Medicine.
Frank Obonyo, author of story, at marker recognizing the late archbishop (UCU Photo)
By Frank Obonyo
The road from the capital city of Kampala to Mucwini, Uganda,is mostly paved, but it still takes eight hours to travel the 380-mile journey. Our driver attempted to make the trip enjoyable through uplifting music and pointing out various attractions, but the voyage was still long.
When we finally reached the northern, scorching-hot Kitgum District of Mucwini, I thought about Nathanael’s disappointing reaction to Philip’s claim in John 1:46 when he and others saw the Messiah. Nathanael asked if anything good could come out of Nazareth. I also wondered how something good could come out of Mucwini given the dry heat and its distance away from Uganda’s business hubs.
Something good did come out of there. It was former Church of Uganda Archbishop Janani Jakaliya Luwum who stood for what he believed. As with Jesus of Nazareth, thatstand cost him his life on earth. Luwum died in February 1977 after being falsely accused of treason against then Ugandan President Idi Amin.
Annually, a memorial service and national celebrations are held at Luwum’s ancestral home in Mucwini. On February 16, 2019, I was among Uganda Christian University (UCU) staff and students who joined the rest of the country to celebrate this amazing man’s life.
UCU staff members join local residents for Luwum’s life celebration in Mucwini, Uganda (UCU Photo)
The Rt. Rev. Alfred Olwa, Bishop of Lango Diocese and formerly a member of the UCU faculty, led the service for 10,000 people, including me, government dignitaries, 13 Bishops and other church leaders.
Bishop Olwa encouraged the congregation to desist from living in the past because “God is doing a new thing.” He advised them to focus onto the future by emulating Archbishop Luwum’s virtues.
Archbishop Luwum’s indelible influence and the ultimate price he paid in Uganda is not new information,but it merits a reminder.
The Sunday Vision of February 17, 2019, reported that an infuriated Idi Amin on February 13, 1997, summoned Archbishop Luwum and his wife for a meeting at the State House in Entebbe. Amin told Luwum that 11 boxes of automatic guns and other weapons were found near his residence at Namirembe in Kampala. Despite his protests, Luwum was beaten and shot. In the midst of the accusations, the Archbishop remained calm and maintained his plea that he was an innocent man. While the official government account of his death describes a car crash, it is generally accepted that he was murdered on the orders of Amin.
I cannot precisely liken the Archbishop’s suffering to that of Jesus Christ, but I imagine he endured heavy beatings because he knew that he was innocent and was dying for the right reasons. In life, such difficult situations are hard to grapple with and there’s nothing one can do to prevent them from happening but as a Christian, how should we respond?
Luwum was convicted by the love of Jesus Christ. He knew there was hope at the end of it all. He was a true revolutionary and a hero who did not hope only to leave his children a bigger car, house and land but he thought about his whole country of Uganda and her people. He knew that he was part of the process to free Uganda from Amin’s tyranny. His death gives us a sense of what it means to be loyal, truthful and making Uganda a better place than we found it. We need to be focused, trust in the Lord and remain hopeful even to the point of death.
What price are we paying for the betterment of others, our communities and our countries?
In Luke 14:26, Jesus says that if anyone “comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and also his own life,” he cannot be a disciple of Christ. While those words seem harsh, the point is that a true follower of Jesus models His ideals. Luwum emulated Christ’s suffering by challenging Amin’s unjust rules and cruel acts.
Today, the church and Christ’s teachings face counter forces. How do we react? Do we stand up, or we are we simply contented and unbothered? When the son of man returns, how many Luwums will He find on earth?
I believe Luwum did not accept being defined by where he was raised. My guess is that he believed that opportunities should never be wasted. Little wonder he skyrocketed through the church ranks. Similarly, all of us can make an impact in life regardless of our origin, wealth and paper status. All we need is hope, focus on the Word, perseverance to teach and to keep God’s commandments and actions beyond complacency.
+++ Frank Obonyo works in the Uganda Christian University Communications and Marketing Department. ***
For more of these stories and experiences, visit https://www.ugandapartners.org. If you would like to support the university and its faculty, students and programs, contact Mark Bartels, Executive Director, UCU Partners, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org or go to https://www.ugandapartners.org/donate/
The Vice Chancellor (VC) of Uganda Christian University (UCU), Rev. Canon Dr. John Senyonyi, referenced Mark 12 as he talked about the poor widow who Jesus praised for giving a few coins because it was all she had.
Speaking during the “UCU Alumni Meet” in Namirembe (Archbishop’s Palace Gardens) on Friday, 9 November 2018, he connected this Biblical story to fundraising with his emphasis that “having a standing order as a person on a regular basis of giving out something for charity per month, whatever little you give, is valuable.”
Specifically, the fundraising surrounds a UCU Alumni Association drive to build a student activity centre on the Mukono campus. The project is estimated to cost between $3.5-$4 million (about Sh10b) and is aimed at providing added collaboration space and centralising such services as restaurants, the gymnasium and banks.
The UCU Vice Chancellor was joined in his remarks by the Most Rev. Stanley Ntagali Archbishop of Church of Uganda and Chancellor UCU; David Mugawe, Deputy Vice Chancellor (DVC) of Development and External Relations; and Alira David Pechokisika, UCU Alumni Association President.
“Our goal is to have the building up in October 2022 when UCU celebrates 25 years,” the association president said. “A university is as good as its alumni. Let’s do what we can to make sure UCU grows.”
DVC-DER, David Magawe noted that discussion of the centre started in 2013. Development was delayed by the need for additional classrooms (Noll building) and road and sidewalk construction on the Mukono campus. The start of the new School of Medicine and construction of a new building on the Kampala campus have been other priorities interfering with focus on the centre.
“You make it happen,” he said to roughly 70 alumni at the event. “We need you.”
Dr. Senyonyi said that while he was the USA, people supported UCU and some of them gave little as $5 during the construction of the Hamu Mukasa Library located in the heart of the UCU Mukono campus.
“When I travel all over the continent of Africa, in the USA and UK, I meet people proud of UCU,” he said. “All UCU Alumni should be proud of their University.” He encouraged UCU graduates not to do negative publicity about the University but instead bring ideas on table for proper development.
The Most Rev. Stanley Ntagali, a Bishop Tucker Theological College graduate, blessed the event and asked those present to “pray, mobilize and give money.”
Martha Kyoshaba, Academic Registrar – Mbarara University of Science and Technology was among alumni embracing old friends at the November 2018 event
Among those representing an estimated 60,000 UCU alumni were:
Okot Emmanuel, a graduate from the Mass Communication class of 2015 who travelled from Juba (South Sudan) – He pledged to be a UCU Ambassador and market UCU as a brand in his home country. He volunteers with 98.6 Eye Radio Juba on the news desk and as an investigative reporter. As one tactic to increase mobilization for the University, Okot encouraged the alumni and friends of UCU to use their job positions and skills to promote UCU. He said: “For example, if you are a radio presenter, just a minute to talk about your University would not hurt. After all you carry the UCU Certificates and Transcripts forever.”
Martha Kyoshaba, Current Academic Registrar Mbarara University of Science and Technology and a UCU pioneer graduate in 2000 – She noted: “All the things I do, I learnt from UCU. Even when I was Vice Guild President, it shaped my leadership skills.”
Tezita Sekeri, former UCU student working with the office of the Prime Minister in Uganda – He advised the UCU Alumni Association to identity all those former students doing well. “They are well-off and they have connections, their involvement in such big projects is a step ahead of us all,” he said.
A highlight of the evening was the auctioning of an artist rendition of the new centre. Those attending donated shillings from 10,000 to 100,000 each in a friendly tent-to-tent competition as part of raising additional funds for the centre.
“When I began doing development, I was told about the value of having strong alumni,” the Vice Chancellor said. He looked around the lawn and added, “Even this small group, you can do something.”
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For more information about how you can help Uganda Christian University as the alumni are, contact Mark Bartels, UCU Partners executive director, at mtbartels@gmail.com.
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