Janani Luwum
Janani Luwum | |
---|---|
Archbishop of the British Uganda | |
Died | 16 February 1977 (aged 55) Kampala, Second Republic of Uganda |
Spouse | Mary Luwum (died 2019 at 93 years) |
Previous post(s) | Anglican Church Province of northern Uganda, Archbishop of the Metropolitan Province of Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Boga-Zaire Bishop |
Janani Jakaliya Luwum c. archbishop of the Church of Uganda from 1974 to 1977 and one of the most influential leaders of the modern church in Africa. He was arrested in February 1977 and died shortly after. Although the official account describes a car crash, it is generally accepted that he was murdered on the orders of then-President Idi Amin.
Since 2015 Uganda has a public holiday on 16 February, to celebrate the life of Janani Luwum.[1][2]
Early life
Luwum was born in the village of Mucwini in the Kitgum District to Acholi parents. He attended Gulu High School and Boroboro Teacher Training College, after which he taught at a primary school. Luwum converted to Christianity in 1948, and in 1949 he went to Buwalasi Theological College.
Career
In 1950 he was attached to St. Philip's Church in
Arrest and death
Archbishop Luwum was a leading voice in criticising the excesses of the Idi Amin regime that assumed power in 1971.[4] In 1977, Archbishop Luwum delivered a note of protest to dictator Idi Amin against the policies of arbitrary killings and unexplained disappearances.[5] Shortly afterwards the archbishop and other leading churchmen were accused of treason.
On 16 February 1977, Luwum was arrested together with two cabinet ministers,
According to the later testimony of witnesses, the victims had been taken to an army barracks, where they were bullied, beaten and finally shot. Time magazine said "Some reports even had it that Amin himself had pulled the trigger, but Amin angrily denied the charge, and there were no first-hand witnesses".[8] According to Vice President of Uganda Mustafa Adrisi[9] and a Human rights commission, Amin's right-hand man Isaac Maliyamungu carried out the murder of Luwum and his colleagues.[10]
Legacy
Janani Luwum was survived by his widow, Mary Lawinyo Luwum and nine children. He was buried at his home village of Mucwini in the Kitgum District.
Archbishop Luwum is recognized as a martyr by the Anglican Communion and his statue is among the Twentieth Century Martyrs on the front of Westminster Abbey in London.
He is honoured on the liturgical calendars of the Anglican Church of Australia, Anglican Church of Canada, Scottish Episcopal Church, and Church in Wales on 3 June.
He is honoured on the liturgical calendars of the
See also
- Bishop of Uganda
- Namirembe
References
- ^ "Why Uganda declared February 16 Archbishop Janani Luwum Public Holiday".
- ^ "Archbishop Janani Luwum Day in Uganda in 2023". Office Holidays. Retrieved 4 September 2022.
- ^ Gordon Landreth, Heroes – Janani Luwum Archived 16 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Emuron, Emmy (16 February 2021). "Archbishop Luwum death & why such history keeps visiting us". The Observer - Uganda. Retrieved 4 September 2022.
- ^ "Leaders Silent About Torture at Arch. Janani Luwum Commemoration". Uganda Radionetwork. Retrieved 4 September 2022.
- ^ "Death of an Archbishop", Time Magazine, 28 February 1977
- ^ A state of blood: The inside story of Idi Amin (1977) Henry Kyemba
- ^ Amin:The Wild Man of Africa, Time Magazine, 7 March 1977
- ^ Moses Walubiri; Richard Drasimaku (14 May 2014). "Mustafa Adrisi: Life during and after exile". New Vision. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
- ^ Watuwa Timbiti (12 February 2015). "Luwum murder: What witnesses said". New Vision. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
- ^ "Janani Luwum, Archbishop and Martyr, 1977". The Episcopal Church. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
External links
- The Greatest Ugandan Ever! Part 2
- Janani Luwum – biographical sketch from collection: Biographical sketches of memorable Christians of the past, by James Kiefer
- "Not even an archbishop was spared", The Weekly Observer, 16 February 2006 (N.B. Link destination requires video software installation)
- The Archbishop Janani Luwum Trust UK
- list of past Archbishops of the Church of Uganda