DNK International By Our Correspondent, Kampala
The Most Rev. Dr Stephen Samuel Kazimba Mugalu, Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, on Saturday took centre stage at the burial of the late King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV of Tooro.
He led mourners in a solemn service that brought together Uganda’s religious, political and cultural leadership.
The occasion offered another glimpse into the remarkable journey of an Anglican cleric who rose from humble beginnings in Buikwe to become the ninth Archbishop of the Church of Uganda.
Born on August 15, 1962, in Gulama-Najja Village in present-day Buikwe District, Kazimba is the son of Besweri Kaddu and Jessica Nanyonjo.
His Christian journey began during childhood.
He attended Gakuweebwa Munno Nursery School before proceeding to Lusaka Primary School in Katwe, Kampala.
The Archbishop was baptised in 1973 and confirmed in 1979.
His growing commitment to Christianity eventually developed into a calling to ordained ministry.
Kazimba pursued theological studies at Uganda Christian University in Mukono, where he obtained a diploma and degree in theology.
He later travelled to the United States for further theological training, earning a Master of Divinity and a Doctor of Ministry from Western Theological Seminary in Holland, Michigan.
In December 1990, Kazimba was ordained into the Anglican priesthood by the late Bishop Livingstone Mpalanyi Nkoyoyo.
He began his ministry as Assistant Vicar at Nakibizzi Parish in Buikwe and later served as parish priest at Katente Parish.
His church career steadily advanced, taking him to Mukono Cathedral in 2000 as Vicar.
He served as Acting Provost and later Provost of St Philip and Andrew’s Cathedral, Mukono, placing him in increasingly influential positions within the Church.
In 2008, his career reached another major milestone when he was consecrated Bishop of Mityana Diocese.
He served as bishop for about 11 years before the House of Bishops elected him Archbishop of the Church of Uganda on August 28, 2019.
On March 1, 2020,
Kazimba was installed as the ninth Archbishop at St Paul’s Cathedral, Namirembe, succeeding Archbishop Stanley Ntagali and assuming leadership of one of Uganda’s most influential religious institutions.
As Archbishop, Kazimba has become known for speaking boldly on matters of faith, morality, family, national leadership, politics and social responsibility.
He has repeatedly urged political leaders and citizens to pursue peace, dialogue and unity, particularly during periods of heightened political tension.
His leadership has also been marked by efforts to strengthen evangelism and the institutional and financial sustainability of the Church.
He has used his position to call for greater accountability, responsible leadership and a stronger role for the Church in addressing challenges facing Ugandan society.
One of his most prominent and controversial positions as captured by DNK-International in the capital Kampala,has been his opposition to homosexuality and his support for Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Act.
Kazimba has consistently defended the Church of Uganda’s position on marriage and sexuality, saying the Church must remain faithful to its interpretation of biblical teaching.
His stance has attracted strong support at home as well as criticism from international human-rights organisations.
Beyond the pulpit, Kazimba has also contributed to education and institutional leadership, including serving as Chancellor of Uganda Christian University.
His academic background and experience have enabled him to combine theological leadership with involvement in higher education and community development.
At home, Kazimba is married to Margaret Naggayi Bulya, a Christian and intercessor, and the couple have four sons.
They have also cared for and raised more than 20 other children, reflecting another dimension of the Archbishop’s commitment to family and Christian service.
For more than three decades, Kazimba has moved through virtually every major stage of Anglican ministry,from parish ministry to cathedral leadership, diocesan bishop and ultimately head of the Church of Uganda.
His journey is therefore more than the story of a church leader.
It is the story of a man whose career has taken him from a village in Buikwe through theological classrooms and parish ministry to the highest office in Uganda’s Anglican Church.
At Saturday’s farewell to King Oyo, Kazimba once again occupied a place of national significance as he helped lead the country in mourning the young Tooro monarch.
His presence at the royal burial underlined the important role he continues to play in Uganda’s religious and public life.
Having reached the Church of Uganda’s mandatory retirement age of 65 in August 2027, Kazimba’s tenure as Archbishop is approaching its final chapter, bringing closer the end of a career that has spanned more than three decades of ordained service and placed him among Uganda’s most recognisable religious figures.
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🗓️ [DNK-International@September 13,2026]
