Archbishop Emeritus Paul Kamuza Bakyenga of Mbarara Archdiocese is Dead

This Tuesday morning, Archbishop Emeritus Paul Kamuza Bakyenga of Mbarara Archdiocese passed away in Nsambya. He served as the Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Mbarara from January 2, 1999, until 2020 when Pope Francis accepted his resignation and appointed Auxiliary Bishop Lambert Bainomugisha as the new Archbishop of Mbarara, Uganda.

Born on June 30, 1944, in Bumbaire Village, Igara sub-county, in present-day Bushenyi District, Archbishop Bakyenga began his education in the church building at Bweeza, Bushenyi District. He continued his studies at Ibaare Primary School and Ibanda Preparatory Seminary.

After a brief period of teaching at Rushoroza Seminary in Kabale District, he was sent by Bishop John Baptist Kakubi of Mbarara to study theology at St Andrews College in Scotland, where he obtained a degree.

Archbishop Bakyenga was ordained as a priest on July 11, 1971, in Mbarara. He served as a priest in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Mbarara until March 6, 1989.

On March 6, 1989, he was appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Mbarara and consecrated as a bishop on June 24, 1989. Later, on November 23, 1991, he succeeded as the Bishop of Mbarara, taking over from Bishop John Baptist Kakubi. Finally, on January 2, 1999, he was appointed Archbishop of Mbarara.

Archbishop Emeritus Paul Kamuza Bakyenga leaves behind a significant legacy in the Catholic Church in Uganda, and his contributions will be remembered.