In the history of the Church of Uganda, today marks 42 years since Archbishop Janan Luwum was murdered during the regime of Iddi Amin Dada. Canon James Ddungu was in the same church leadership with Janan Luwum at that time and recalls a number of events.
Canon Ddungu said “I began knowing him [Luwum] right from the time he was crowned to lead the Church of Uganda at Namirembe. He then started his work as mandated which included visiting all the dioceses.” When Luwum was crowned the Archbishop of Uganda in 1974, violations of human rights at the time were at a high peak. This was characterized by acts of anonymous innocent killings, denial of justice among others.
He went on to say “Idi Amin started the harsh rule in which many people were arrested and some were detained without trial.” One of the outstanding issues that greatly shocked the then Archbishop was the murder of the Chief Justice Benedicto Kiwanuka in 1972. “His murder annoyed Archbishop Luwum which prompted to write and release a statement condemning such acts against humanity.”
Because people’s trust and hope resides in religious leaders, Janan Luwum did not betray them and he began speaking the bitter facts about Amin's government, urging him to stop all acts against humanity imposed on the citizens. It is on this note that Amin started feeling insecure and assigned state agents to spy on them to provide intelligence information.
Canon James Ddungu at that time had been assigned to the committee that was tasked with the construction of Synod House in Namirembe in which they conducted meetings almost on a daily. The very committee Canon belonged to, had two colleagues whom he says were killed by Amin's soldiers accusing them of being behind plans to overthrow Amin's government. “For each time we convened for church activity meetings, they instead thought that we were actually meeting to discuss plans to overthrow their government. But this was not the case, we were into church activities, nothing else. Sometime later I was advised to go into hiding but I couldn’t do that. Because at that time I had started an assignment to oversee the construction of the Busega church known as Uganda Martyrs Church,” Canon Ddungu narrated.
One day in 1976, the home of Canon Ddungu was raided by soldiers whose mission was to kill him but unfortunately, they only found his son Daniel Ddungu at home. As soon as he informed the soldiers that his father Canon James Ddungu whom they wanted was not at home, the soldiers opened fire at the young boy in broad daylight and that is how his son died.
“When the soldiers reached my home they called out loudly who is here come out, then my son came out. To them, they had got something they would use to get me. So they asked him about me, the boy replied that I wasn’t around. He was immediately shot at 28 bullets and he fell down. He was called Daniel and that is why we constructed that cross symbol that’s side of my house….. they came back to look for me. But for me, I knew I would be killed any time so I decided in faith because I believe in Jesus Christ.”
When the then Archbishop Luwum knew about what had happened to his colleague Canon James Ddungu, he became so angry with Amin’s government and he did not only stop at using the media to condemn such acts, he personally gave a phone call to Amin and requested to meet him. The president didn't reply to Luwum’s request.
From the moment Archbishop Janan Luwum’s efforts to meet president Amin proved futile, Luwum continued to use the media and releasing statements condemning the acts of president Amin. He also urged and mobilized all Christians and religious leaders to demonstrate in case there was nothing done for that matter.
As soon as such information reached Amin, on 5th February 1977, soldiers raided the home of Janan Luwum claiming to be searched for ammunition. “They attacked the home of Archbishop Luwum, surrounded it for a search. In the morning, the Archbishop then called president Amin to have a talk and inform him that his home was attacked and searched. Just like the first instance, president Amin did not reply to him,” Ddungu said.
After two days, Janan Luwum was accused of treason. Amin did not stop at this upon realizing that his plan was fake, he called all pastors for an emergency conference at (the now) Serena Hotel in Kampala. Although Canon Ddungu was not part of this meeting, he says that he later came to know that Luwum with other four Bishops were locked up in a separate room which was surrounded by soldiers.
Later, it is reported the four colleagues of Janan Luwum and other pastors who were at this hotel were instructed to vacate the premises immediately. That very evening, Amin came and shot at Janan Luwum. There was also another bishop called Kivengere. Although they met at a prayer session, it is reported that president Amin was the first to shoot at Archbishop Janan Luwum.”
The following day, Amin’s government released a statement indicating that Archbishop had died in a motor accident. “There was nothing else they clarified concerning the cause of the accident, how the accident happened and people were directed not to stare at the bodies of the deceased. All their bodies were transported under tight security offered by soldiers.”
The government, therefore, launched every 16th February to commemorate and remember the life of Janan Luwum because he was a religious leader who never feared to speak the truth. Canon Ddungu says up to today, they still have a lot they learn from him. “Whenever the world is filled with lies, people fear to tell, speak or write the truth with fear that they might come for you in all possible means.”
However, many times civilians claim religious leaders remain silent as a lot of things are done by the government to compromise their life, Canon Ddungu says this isn’t the case. “They don’t just remain or stay silent but they don’t just begin speaking anyhow.” Many Ugandans think that the only gift the religious leaders can offer Luwum is to embrace his courageous nature as well as learning from him especially to speak the truth on matters that affect the ordinary people.