OBITUARY: The Emeritus Archbishop of Mbarara Archdiocese His Grace Paul Kamuza Bakyenga has on Tuesday morning July 18th 2023, passed on.
According to News sources, Archbishop Paul Bakyenga passed on at Nsambya.
Paul Kamuza Bakyenga was the Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Mbarara, since 2 January 1999. Pope Francis accepted his resignation on 25 April 2020 and appointed Auxiliary Bishop Lambert Bainomugisha as the Archbishop of Mbarara.
Bakyenga was born on 30 June 1944, in Bumbaire Village, Igara sub-county, in present-day Bushenyi District in the Western Region of Uganda. He attended pre-primary school in the church building at Bweeza, Bushenyi District.
He went on to attend Ibaare Primary School, before he joined Ibanda Preparatory Seminary from 1958 until 1960. In 1961, he joined Kitabi Seminary, where he graduated with a High School Diploma. He was admitted to Bukalasa Minor Seminary, in present-day Kalungu District for his A-Level studies
After teaching briefly at Rushoroza Seminary, in Kabale District, he was then admitted at Katigondo Major Seminary, in Kalungu District to study philosophy but abandoned the course after two years. At this point, Bishop John Baptist Kakubi of Mbarara, sent him to study at St Andrews College in Scotland, where he obtained a degree in Theology.
He was ordained a priest on 11 July 1971 at Mbarara at the age of 27. He served as priest in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Mbarara, until 6 March 1989.
He was appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Mbarara, Uganda on 6 March 1989. He was consecrated as bishop on 24 June 1989 at Mbarara by Bishop John Baptist Kakubi (RIP), Bishop of Mbarara, assisted by Bishop Adrian Kivumbi Ddungu (RIP), Bishop of Masaka and Bishop Serapio Bwemi Magambo (RIP), Bishop of Fort Portal.
On 23 November 1991, he succeeded as bishop of Mbarara, replacing the late Bishop John Baptist Kakubi, who resigned. He was appointed Archbishop of Mbarara on 2 January 1999.
The Most Rev. Bainomugisha was appointed the Archbishop of Mbarara Archdiocese in 2020 replacing Emeritus Paul Bakyenga. He was installed in June 2020 in a ceremony that was attended by a few congregations due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Burial arrangements will be communicated by the Uganda Episcopal conference in the due course.
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