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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Archbishop of the Church of Uganda Stanley Ntagali has described Mama Mary Luwum as a pillar of faith who left a great tribe of people in Uganda.
Archbishop Ntagali said Mama Mary Luwum was an intercessor, a person of courage, reconciler, counsellor and pillar who should be emulated.
He said celebrating the life of Mama Mary Luwum is a continuation of the celebrated of the forgotten martyr, St. Janani Luwum who served as the second Archbishop of Kampala Diocese and the third Archbishop of Uganda.
Archbishop Ntagali was speaking on Friday at the funeral service of Mama Mary Luwum who succumbed to adrenal cancer on August 5th from International Hospital Kampala at Bugolobi Resurrection Church.
Earlier, parishioners who used to fellowship with her at the Church eulogized her as the strength, courage and wall of her family since the death of her husband in 1977 in the hands of henchmen of former President Idi Amin.
They described her as one who lived a life of novelty, simple with extremely compassionate and unshaken faith.
Her family led by Ben Luwum, the heir of former Archbishop Janani Luwum said her death has officially enrolled them into the national club of orphans.
Members of her former Church said she lived a life of novelty, bravery, courage, fortitude and fearlessness in the face of life troubles.
The funeral service was presided over by the Bishop of Lango Diocese Rt. Reverend Charles Odur Kami who said Mama Mary Luwum and her husband laid the foundation for National Dialogue and Reconciliation.
Bishop Odur Kami said Mama Mary did her part by pronouncing forgiveness to a delegation of Kakwa ethnic group who visited her from her home in Mucwini in Kitgum district last year. He said it was a moment of reconciliation between the family Janani Luwum and the people of Kakwa, Idi Amin’s kinsmen.
Dr Olara Otunnu, former President of Uganda People’s Congress Party said the life of Mama Mary Luwum on earth was a reign of simplicity and authenticity, dispensation of true justice and pioneer of African revival which led to enculturation of the Church in Africa.
According to Otunnu, the burial of Mama Mary Luwum on Saturday will be a celebration of heavenly reunion as she will join her late husband Archbishop Janani Luwum in Heaven singing, praising and dancing majestically.
The Church asked government to build on the legacy of the religious couple to galvanize and make real the dreams of Ugandans for national dialogue and reconciliation.
Mukasa Muruli, the Minister of Public Service who represented government said the life of Mama Janani Luwum was a life of service, love, excellence and Compassion.
Minister Muruli said President Museveni found it fit for Mama Mary to be accorded a dignified state burial due to significant contributions she made while her husband led a distinguished life as the leading voice of criticism of the excesses of President Idi Amin.
After the service, the casket was airlifted from Kololo airstrip for burial on Saturday in Wii Gweng village in Mucwini Sub County in Kitgum district.
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