Archbishop Cyprian Kizito Lwanga is dead

Archbishop Lwanga became the Bishop of Kampala in 2006 after the retirement of Cardinal Emmanuel Wamala

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Archbishop of Kampala Catholic Archdiocese Dr Cyprian Kizito Lwanga is dead.

According to the Secretary General of the Episcopal Conference, Monsignor John Baptist Kauta, Dr Lwanga was found dead this morning at his residence in Lubaga.

Archbishop Lwanga became the Bishop of Kampala in 2006 after the retirement of Cardinal Emmanuel Wamala.

Yesterday, Archbishop Lwanga joined the Archbishop of Uganda, Dr Samuel Kaziimba Mugalu in the way of the cross that took place at Namirembe Cathedral. It was said that Lwanga had been sick for some days last week but by Friday, he was in good health.

According to Father Phillip Odi, the spokesperson of the Episcopal Conference, it is suspected that he could have died of a heart attack after a hectic Friday.

Who is Dr Lwanga?

Born in January 1953, Dr Lwanga was appointed as Archbishop of Kampala on August 19, 2006.

He attended Kyabakadde Primary School. He entered Nyenga Seminary in 1964. Between 1972 and 1974, he studied at Katigondo National Major Seminary, in present-day Kalungu District. He then studied Theology at Ggaba National Seminary, in Kampala. In 1979, he joined the University of Clermont-Ferrand in France, were he studied administration and languages, with particular emphasis on administration. Later, he studied at Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome, where in 1994, he earned a doctorate in Canon Law.

Statement from Kampala Archdiocese

He was ordained a priest on April 8, 1978 at Rubaga Cathedral by Cardinal Emmanuel Kiwanuka Nsubuga. He served as a priest of Kampala Archdiocese until November 30, 1996.
He was appointed first bishop of the Diocese of Kasana-Luweero on November 30, 1996 and consecrated bishop on March 1, 1997 at Kasana-Luweero, by Cardinal Emmanuel Wamala, Archbishop of Kampala, assisted by Bishop Joseph Bernard Louis Willigers, Bishop of Jinja and Bishop Paul Lokiru Kalanda, Bishop of Fort Portal.

On August 19, 2006, he was appointed the third Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Kampala and was installed as the third Archbishop of Kampala on September 30, 2006 at Rubaga Cathedral, succeeding Cardinal Emmanuel Wamala, who resigned.

On February 2, 2020 Lwanga issued a decree that Catholics in the archdiocese of Kampala could only receive Holy Communion on the tongue and not on the hand.

Burial arrangements

Official mourning for the late Dr Cyprian Kizito Lwanga starts on Monday with mass at 10am at Rubaga Cathedral without the body.

On Tuesday the body leaves Mulago mortuary straight to his ancestral home at Kyabakadde along Gayaza road. Mass will be t 10am and the body will stay overnight

On Wednesday the body will arrive at Rubaga cathedral for mass at 10am. Viewing will be in front of the cathedral.

Burial will take place on Thursday with Mass starting at 10am at the metropolitan Burial grounds besides Rubaga Cathedral.