The late Archbishop Janan Luwumu was sacrificed by the Uganda National Liberation Front (UNLA) rebel group that was fighting to overthrow Amin’s regime in the late 1970’s.
This side of the story has never come out why the Archbishop was allegedly murdered by the former president, Idi Amin having suspected him to be collaborating with the rebel group.
One of the senior citizens of the country and a renowned real estate developer, Festal Kasajja alleges that Luwumu was murdered because he was sacrificed by the Uganda National Liberation Front (UNLA) rebel group having recruited him and used his office in the importation and movement of firearms.
Kasaija says that on Luwumu’s fatefull day, the people who sacrificed him had imported guns and had transported them from the country of origin disguising as bibles and from Entebbe Airport the luggage were to be off loaded at Namirembe church.
Indeed these ‘bibles’ (guns)reached Namirembe church just as off loaders had started off loading, president Amin himself swung into action driving a Jeep car because he was tipped off by the people who sacrificed the Archbishop.
They bragged while talking to him via phone that his security is weak and he should go and see what is being off loaded at Namirembe church. They knew very well that President Amin was very short tempered and anything concerning his power would make him react without a second thought.
The senior citizen Kasajja say he witnessed the guns when Amin ordered the Archbishop to open the boxes and he hesitated but the president opened one of the boxes himself and this had AK47 guns.
“On Luwumu’s fateful day, I was in Ndeeba a Kampala suburb having lunch with a friend and we got some information that the Archbishop had been caught with gum we quickly ran to Namirembe and I saw the guns with my naked eyes”.Kasajja narrated.
He adds: “Amin asked Luwumu’s wife to pray for him and he whisked the Archbishop away to the unknown destination and later they had that he had been involved in an accident and died.“
Charles Lwanga a former employee of Gailey and Roberts (U) LTD says that president Amin suspected the Archbishop to be collaborating with Oryem Elinai the inspector General of government then plotting to overthrow his government.
“ Its possible that gave Amin false information because of being short tempered he failed to control his temper and shop the Archbishop.’’ Lwanga said.
He adds, “ It wasn’t possible for the Archbishop to allow the ammunitions to be transported in the name of the church and be off loaded at Namirembe yet the diocese’s leadership had opposed to Obote`s regime.“
Lwanga also says that Amin didn`t show the public the guns that he found at Namirembe church to justify the allegations and this explains that he got false information but went ahead to murder the Archbishop and later staged a false accident.
Fred Mwesigwa the press secretary to the Democratic party President said that his Uncle the late Cyprian Bamwoze the former bishop of Busoga diocese intimated to him that there was no guns that were being offloaded as Amin alleged. Amin found indeed boxes of bibles but he killed the Archbishop because of hatred.
The former chairman of Luweera District who was also a minister without portfolio Abdul Nadduli says that it was true that guns were found at Namirembe church being overloaded disguising as bibles and Amin got intelligence and swung into action to arrest the leaders of the church himself.
“ Obote being an Anglican, Amin suspected that Archbishop Luwumu being an Acholi was collaborating with him to overthrow him out of power and this ignited the desire to eliminate him.’’
He also says that Patrick Kimumwe a friend Paul Muwanga was a rebel fighter and was supposed received the luggage on behalf him.
During his time as Archbishop, Luwum became a vocal critic of the government of President Idi Amin and spoke out against human rights abuses and corruption. He was arrested by Amin’s government in 1977 and died in mysterious circumstances, with the government claiming he was killed in a car accident.
However, many believe that he was murdered by the government for his opposition to their policies.Luwum’s death sparked international outrage and condemnation, and he is remembered as a hero and a symbol of resistance against tyranny and oppression. In 1979, the Anglican Church officially recognized him as a martyr, and his death is commemorated annually on February 16th, known as Martyr’s Day in Uganda.
By George Bukenya.