Lwanga was an intelligent leader – Archbishop Bakyenga
Archbishop Bakyenga also eulogised Lwanga as a vibrant partner in the Catholic Church leadership and ministry. Photo | File
What you need to know:
- Archbishop Bakyenga also eulogised Lwanga as a vibrant partner in the Catholic Church leadership and ministry.
Mbarara Archbishop Emeritus Paul Kamuza Bakyenga has lauded his deceased Kampala counterpart Cyprian Kizito Lwanga as an intelligent leader who was instrumental in the growth and development of Centenary Bank and helping it remain a rural people-centered financial institution.
“When I heard the news [of the death of Lwanga], I was completely shattered. I have known him to be a very intelligent and promising leader and he led Kasana-Luweero [Diocese] well. With him, we have been representing the Uganda bishops on the board of directors of Centenary Bank for a period of 19 years and he has been very helpful and giving very good advice to see that the bank remains on course, not losing its vision to serve the local people, but remain a rural development bank,” Archbishop Bakyenga told Daily Monitor yesterday.
“We managed to convince the other manager and directors of the bank to ensure the bank keeps 60 per cent of the loans for the poor people and then, of course, we needed more money from the rich people because what you lend to the poor usually comes from the rich and he was very supportive,” he added.
Archbishop Bakyenga also eulogised Lwanga as a vibrant partner in the Catholic Church leadership and ministry.
“I witnessed Lwanga being enthroned as bishop of Kasana-Luweero. I was already a bishop. He invited me to give a treat to his priests in Kasana-Luweero. I also invited him to come and give my priests a spiritual talk, which was very successful. We have been together on the executive committee of the Uganda episcopal conference, and we have been steering the direction of the conference together,” he said.
Archbishop Bakyenga also said Lwanga was committed to the poor and aimed at empowering them, following the footsteps of the Biblical St Paul.
“He was committed to the poor, empowering them through microfinance institutions and other means to develop the poor because Jesus teaches us, just like St Paul teaches his churches never to forget the poor.
Lwanga has been very good at that. He started Wekembe [a development organisation that provides micro loans for low-income people] to help the poor and it has been helping them and it will continue to help them,” he added.
