The family of the late Bishop Janani Loum has rejected a proposal by the Anglican Church to transfer his remains from Wii-Gweng in Muciwni in Kitgum district for reburial at Namirembe Cathedral in Kampala.
The proposed transfer of the late Loum’s remains is in preparation for a visit to Uganda by the head of the Anglican Church and Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby in February next year.
“There was a proposal from the Province of the Church of Uganda to the family of St. Janani Luwum that his body should be exhumed from where he was buried thirty-nine years ago and transferred to Namirembe Cathedral in Kampala and reburied there. His family has however rejected that proposition,’’ said Okee- Luciima, a member of local organising committee of the “Saint Janani Luwum Memorial Pilgrimage, Prayer & Celebration.”
Luciima revealed this during a recent monthly meeting of the local organising committee at All Saints’ Church in Kitgum.
Bishop Janani Luwum was the third Anglican Archbishop (Primate) of the Province of the Church of Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Boga Zaire (Eastern DR Congo) from 1974 to 1977. He was murdered on February 16, 1977, by President Idi Amin following a period of prolonged tension and ugly showdown with the Amin regime. He resisted calls by foreign Embassies and High Commissions accredited to Uganda to be assisted and taken to exile, preferring to die for his flock instead.
Luciima said there are people in government who are also fighting to fail the committee simply because they are against Dr Olara-Otunnu yet he[Otunnu] was one of those who contributed to establishing St. Janani Luwum Memorial.
The Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee Mr. Michael Ocan says there should be constant dialogue between the National Organizing Committee, the Province of the Church of Uganda, the local organising committee and the Diocese of Kitgum.
The committee released a budget of 1, 300,708,500 shilling for organizing the 40th St. Janani Luwum Commemoration to be held on February 16, 2017 at Wii- Gweng in Mucwini in Kitgum district.
Of the total budget, UGX 1 billion will go towards the construction of a VIP tent, worship pavilions, a pulpit and upgrading the grave to attract tourists.
The guest celebrant for the 40th anniversary will be the Archbishop of Canterbury, The Most Rt. Rev. Justin Welby.
The Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquity gazzetted two new religious sites as tourist attractions in Northern Uganda. This includes Wii-gweng site where the late St. Janani Luwum was buried and Wiipolo in Paimol, Agago district where the two Roman Catholic Martyrs, Jildo Irwa and Daudi Okello were killed on October 20, 1919.
