By Emmanuel Omona PaOkech

Christians in Northern diocese of Uganda are today holding a memorial prayer for the Late Archbishop of Uganda, Janan Luwum.

The late Bishop Luwum was reportedly murdered during the regime of President Iddi Amin Dada in 1977.

Archbishop Luwum was a leading voice in criticizing President Idi Amin regime that had assumed power in 1971. He is on record for delivering a protest which opposed Amin’s policies of arbitrary killing and unexplained disappearance that made him accused of treason and in turn cost his life around 16th and 17th of February 1977.

The Late Archbishop of the Church of Uganda Janani Luwum

After the murder, Amin’s government framed it that he had died in motor vehicle accident.

The bishop of Northern diocese, Johnson Gakumba confirmed the celebration in a telephone interview with Iganda Picks  and called on the Christians to be committed to their faith and fight all forms of injustices.

Bishop Gakumba said that Bishop Luwum is recognized worldwide by the Anglican Church as the 20th century martyr and prayers are held on every 16th February to commemorate him.

The Bishop was buried in Kitgum district.

To the Acholis, Janani Luwum is greatly recognized as the father of Faith and a hero of the Northerners.

He was the Archbishop of the Church of Uganda from 1974 to 1977 and of the most influential leaders of the modern church in Africa.

Luwum was born in the village of Mucwini in the Kitgum district to Acholi parents. After attending Gulu High and Borroboro he became a teacher and immediately joined Christianity in 1948 where in 1949 enrolled at Buwalasi Theological College.

He became a deacon in 1953 and the following year he was ordained a priest where he served in the Upper Nile Diocese of Uganda and later Mbale that led to his consecration as the bishop of the Anglican Church province of Northern Uganda at Gulu leading him at a bigger appointment of being the Archbishop of Metropolitan province of Uganda, Burundi and Boga in Zaire.