KAMPALA: Ugandans are today (Wednesday, February 16, 2022) celebrating the 7th Janani Luwum Day. The day marks 45 years since Archbishop Luwum was murdered.
Luwum Day is dedicated to the life and service of Janani Luwum, the former Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and Boga-Zaire.
Janani Jakaliya Luwum served as the archbishop of the Church of Uganda from 1974 to 1977.
Luwum was recognised as one of the most influential leaders of the modern church in Africa and a leading voice in criticizing the human rights violations of Idi Amin’s regime.
Archbishop Luwum delivered a note of protest to Amin against arbitrary killings and unexplained disappearances of civilians and soldiers.
Shortly after, the Archbishop and other leading churchmen were accused of being agents of the exiled former president Milton Obote, and for planning to stage a coup.
Following these accusations, Luwum was later murdered on the orders of dictator Idi Amin.
In commemoration of his achievements, Uganda declared February 16 a public holiday.
On this day in particular, President Yoweri K. Museveni will grace the 7th Janani Luwum Day celebrations at Kololo Independence Grounds.
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.
Happy Janani Luwum Day!