Archbishop Emeritus Paul Bakyenga celebrates 50 years in Priesthood.

By Jjunju Francis

16^th Jan 2022

The Archbishop Emeritus of Mbarara Archdiocese Paul Kamuza Bakyenga has celebrated 50 years of priesthood as he bid farewell to Christians of the Mbarara Archdiocese.

The ceremony to bid farewell to Emeritus Paul Bakyenga was delayed by two years due to the outbreak of Covid-19.

The Most Rev Lambert Bainomugisha the Archbishop of Mbarara Archdiocese commended Bakyenga as a passionate priest who preached the word of God with zeal.

In his farewell Speech, Bakyenga 78, said he never thought at any one time he would be a Bishop because he had specialized in scripture studies than canon law but it by the grace of God that he has served the Catholic Church to date.

In the Presidents’ Message read by Robinah Nabbanja the Prime Minister, Museveni asked church leaders to continue emphasizing family values, promote environmental conservation and peaceful resolution of conflicts, and promote unity.

Archbishop Bakyenga was born in 1944 in Bumbaire Igara Bushenyi district ordained a priest in 1971 at the age of 27 at Mushanga Parish in Bushenyi district and immediately posted as the Chaplain of Ntare School in Mbarara. He was later moved to Nyamitanga Parish as the Curate, He also served as a Rector at Kitabi Seminary, and as a Pastoral Coordinator at Nyamitanga Cathedral.

Archbishop Emeritus Bakyenga was appointed and consecrated Bishop of Mbarara in 1989 replacing Late Bishop John Baptist Kakubi in 1991, who at the time had resigned and appointed Archbishop of Mbarara in 1999 when Mbarara Diocese was elevated to an archdiocese subsequently making him the first Archbishop of Mbarara Archdiocese until he retired in 2020.

Emeritus Bakyenga was given 100 Million Shillings as a retirement package by the Christians.