Why Kampala archdiocese stands taller than other archdioceses

With a day left to instal Paul Ssemogerere as Archbishop of Kampala Archdiocese, we look at the significance of the city's archdiocese in the Catholic church in Uganda and why it stands tall among the rest.

The Roman Catholic Church in Uganda is made up of four Ecclesiastical Provinces that are composed of archdioceses

These include Kampala Archdiocese, Gulu Ecclesiastical province comprising Gulu archdiocese and two dioceses of Mbarara and Tororo.

Kampala archdiocese was formed in 1966 after a section of the dioceses of Kampala and Rubaga joined to create the Archdiocese of Kampala.

The diocese spreads across most parts of Central Uganda

At the time of its inception, the archdiocese of Kampala had Emmanuel Cardinal K. Nsubuga as the first Archbishop who reigned from 1966 to 1990. He died in 1991.

Cardinal Nsubuga was succeeded by Emmanuel Cardinal Wamala who led Kampala for 16 years from1990 until he retired in 2006.

Cardinal Wamala was succeeded by Rt Rev. Dr. Cyprian Kizito Lwanga who was the first bishop of the diocese of Kasana - Luwero from 2006 to 2021. Dr Lwanga died suddenly last year.

Following his death, on Thursday April 8th 2021, Pope Francis appointed Rev. Paul Ssemogerere as the apostolic administrator for the archdiocese of Kampala and on December 9th 2021, Pope Francis appointed him the new Archbishop of Kampala.

According to the researcher of the Catholic Church Rev. Fr. PaulinoTwesigye Mondo, Kampala archdiocese is significant because of Kampala’s historical status as a destination of the missionaries Simeon Lourdel popularly known as Mapeera and brother Delmas Amans (Amansi).

"The catholic faith was brought by two people in 1879, and these landed in Kigungu near Entebbe which is within the Archdiocese of Kampala and so this gave Kampala  paramount importance historically," said Rev. Fr. Paulino Mondo.

Rev. Mondo said the two missionaries were invited by the kabaka of Buganda who was staying in Kampala which is not only the capital of the catholic church but also the capital city of Uganda.”

He said Kampala is unique because of it’s close association with Buganda kingdom and it’s also where the cardinal seats.

"Kampala takes seniority. It was created earlier than other archdioceses and because of that nobody can be senior than the senior. Uganda has only one seat where the emeritus Emmanuel Cardinal Wamala seats in Lubaga which is located in Kampala," Mondo said.

Its this Archdiocese where all roads will be leading to come January 25 to witness the installation of its new Archbishop, Paul Ssemogerere.