By Leonard Kamugisha Akida,
KAMPALA:
The leader of the Orthodox church in Uganda, Metropolitan Yonah Lwanga has passed on.
Metropolitan Lwanga has died in Greece according to his brother Peter Basajja-Kitalo, he says the Bishop has been battling prolonged illnesses.
Yonah Lwanga was the Metropolitan of Kampala and All Uganda, in Central Africa under the Eastern Orthodox Church of Alexandria, until his death. His see was Kampala, with jurisdiction over all Uganda.
Born 18 July 1945 in the village Ddegeya, Uganda. Lwanga’s grandfather, Obadiah Basajjakitalo, was one of the two initial leaders of the Orthodox Church in Uganda along with Ruben Spartas Mukasa.
He completed his general education in Bulemezi and Kyaddondo, Uganda (1952-1964).
In 1964-1968 he studied at the Ecclesiastical School of Crete. In 1968-1978 he holds a degree in Theology and Philosophy from the University of Athens with.
In 1979−1981 he served Secretary of the Orthodox Mission in Uganda.
On 1 May 1981, he was ordained a Deacon, in 1982 he was ordained a priest.
On 27 January 1992 he was ordained vicar Bishop of Bukoba.
On 12 May 1997 he was elected by the Holy Synod as Metropolitan of Kampala and All Uganda.
Metropolitan Jonah will always be remembered for his outspoken characters and activism role for human rights and freedom in Uganda.
He is among afew religious leaders such late Archbishop Cyprian Kizito Lwanga, (former Archbishop Kampala Archdiocese) and late Sheikh Nuhu Muzaata, who have come out in a broad day light to criticize the atrocities of the government against citizens in Uganda like violations of human rights, rampant corruption practices in public offices among other sociopolitical and economic challenges.
