Archbishop Bakyenga to be laid in Nyamitanga Cathedral

By Jjunju Francis

18^th July 2023

The burial program of the late Archbishop Emeritus Paul Kamuza Bakyenga has been released.

According to the program released by the Charncery of Mbarara Archdiocese, today Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday there will be holy masses at our Lady of Perpetual Help Nyamitanga Cathedral to pray for the deposed soul of the late Archbishop Bakyenga.

On Friday 21^st July 2023 there will be a requiem mass at Lubaga Cathedral in Kampala at 10am and the body will be transported to Nyamitanga Cathedral in Mbarara for reception at 6.00pm, followed by a holy mass and vigil.

On Saturday at 3.00pm there will a holy mass.

The funeral mass for the Archbishop Emeritus Paul Kamuza Bakyenga will start at 11.00am on Sunday 23^rd at Lady of Perpetual Help Nyamitanga Parish the seat of the Archdiocese of Mbarara and burial will start at 3.00pm in the Cathedral.

The program has been further confirmed by the communications director of the Mbarara Archdiocese, Rev Fr Charles Lwanga Mutabaruka.

Christians and well-wishers continue to send condolences over the death of Church Archbishop Bakyenga a man of God who dedicated his life for service in the Catholic.

Archbishop Bakyenga passed on this morning 18^th July 2023 at 79- years of age from St. Francis Hospital Nsambya where he had gone for regular checkup.

One of his close friends, the Executive Secretary for Justice and Peace Commission at the Uganda Catholic Secretariat Nsambya Dr. Emmanuel Kiiza Aliba says Archbishop Bakyenga has served a priest for 52 years and as a bishop for 34 years a call he has done by touching the hearts and souls of all through his homilies and material support.

Archbishop Bakyenga was born in Bumbaire, Igara, Bushenyi district in 1944, ordained as a priest in Mbarara in 1971 at the age of 27.

Later, at the age of 44, he was appointed the Co-adjutor Bishop of Mbarara, positioning him to succeed Bishop John Baptist Kakubi.

In 1991, when Bishop Kakubi resigned at the age of 61, Archbishop Bakyenga assumed the role of Bishop of Mbarara.

Under his leadership, the Mbarara Diocese was elevated to an archdiocese in 1999, and he became its first Archbishop overseeing the Western ecclesiastical province, which covers the dioceses of Hoima, Fort Portal, Kasese, and Kabale.

Archbishop Bakyenga retired from his position in 2020 and succeeded by Archbishop Lambert Baino-mugisha.

At the time of his death, Archbishop Emeritus Bakyenga had retired to rest at St Kagwa Catholic Church in Bushenyi District.

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