MBARARA — Paul Kamuza Bakyenga, the Emeritus Archbishop of Mbarara Archdiocese, passed away at 79 years of age.
The news of his demise was confirmed by Rev Fr Charles Mutabaruka, the communications director of the Mbarara Archdiocese.
Archbishop Bakyenga passed away this morning at Nsambya Hospital in Kampala, where he had gone for his regular check-ups.
“The Ecclesiastical Province of Mbarara is in shock after the passing of His Grace Paul K. Bakyenga, Archbishop emeritus, at the age of 79. Paul Kamuza Bakyenga was born on 30 June 1944, in Bumbaire Village, Igara sub-county, in present-day Bushenyi District in the Western Region of Uganda, Fr Mutabaruka said.
Fr Mutabaruka noted that further details regarding the prelate’s passing will be shared at a later time. Archbishop Bakyenga was born in Bumbaire, Igara, Bushenyi district in 1944.
He dedicated his life to a distinguished career in the clergy, serving as a priest for 52 years and as a bishop for 34 years. He was ordained as a priest in Mbarara in 1971 at the age of 27.
Later, at the age of 44, he was appointed the Coadjutor Bishop of Mbarara, positioning him to succeed Bishop John Baptist Kakubi. In 1991, when Bishop Kakubi resigned at the age of 61, Archbishop Bakyenga assumed the role of Bishop of Mbarara.
Under his leadership, the Mbarara Diocese was elevated to an archdiocese in 1999, and he became its first Archbishop.
He was responsible for overseeing the Western ecclesiastical province, which covers the dioceses of Hoima, Fort Portal, Kasese, and Kabale.
Throughout his tenure, Archbishop Bakyenga provided spiritual guidance and pastoral care to the faithful in the region.
His unwavering dedication and commitment to his religious duties have left a profound impact on the community.
Archbishop Bakyenga retired from his position in 2020 after serving the church and the people with unwavering devotion for several decades.
He was succeeded by Lambert Bainomugisha.
