Archbishop of Nairobi to organise Lwanga burial 

Metropolitan Jonah Lwanga. PHOTO / COURTESY / FILE

Orthodox Archbishop Makarios of Nairobi has been appointed the caretaker and overseer of the burial of Metropolitan Jonah Lwanga who died on Sunday evening.

 Metropolitan Archbishop Lwanga died aged 76.

 Mr John Kibuuka Bossa, one of the administrators of the Orthodox Church in Uganda, revealed last evening that Archbishop Makarios was assigned the role by the African head of the Orthodox Church sitting in Egypt, Patriarch Theodore II.

Mr Bossa also revealed that the late prelate left for Athens, Greece, for his pastoral work about two months ago, but fell sick from there.

Fr Nicholas Bayego, the dean of St Nicholas Orthodox Church, Namungoona near Kampala,  said the caretaker is expected to take over all the burial arrangements of Lwanga when his body arrives in the country any time.

Fr Bayego added that about two years, Lwanga started feeling unwell as he was diagnosed with cancer.

“Actually, two years back, he started wishing us and other people goodbye that he had played his part and it was time for him to meet the Lord,” Fr Bayego reminiscences

Sources at the church yesterday revealed that the late Archbishop Lwanga will be buried near the grave of his mother, Kezia Babitaka, in Ddegeya, Luweero District, on a date yet to be confirmed.

When our reporters visited the Namungoona church, the seat of the Orthodox faith, there were a handful of faithful who had gathered and looked emotional. Some of the female followers were seen mourning within the precincts of the church.

What they say

Lwemiyaga County MP Theodore Sekikubo, a renowned Orthodox faithful: “He was an open man and a voice of the common man. He was also open to criticising government on issues of corruption, intrigue, selfishness and human rights. His death is a loss to the nation.”

Kizza Besigye, Opposition leader: A great moral voice and leader goes to be with the Lord. Metropolitan Lwanga has had the courage, confidence and moral activism consistent with a man of God. It’s worrying that such moral patriarchs are endangered, yet most needed in our Uganda today.