President Yoweri Museveni, has paid tribute to former Busoga Bishop, Cyprian Bamwoze who succumbed to cancer at Uganda cancer institute (UCI), Mulago on Monday morning.
In a plenary sitting chaired by the Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga, Prime Minister Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda moved a motion for parliament to pay tribute to the Bishop Cyprian Bamwoze for his contribution towards the development of Uganda.
“In accordance with his wishes, there will be no laying of wreaths on his casket. Later, President Museveni will pay his tribute to the late Bishop. I will allow the President in accordance to our rules to do so,” she directed.
Kadaga said, the late Bishop was highly educated ahead of his time. He was grounded in theology and philosophy. He was a transformative and an exemplary leader who fought poverty, ignorance and disease.
Dr. Rugunda said the deceased championed programmes like immunization against common killer diseases, family planning, protection of spring wells, drilling boreholes and teaching people about community development, basic hygiene, nutrition and agriculture.
The motion was supported by the Leader of Opposition (LoP), Betty AoL Ochan, saying that the country has lost a resourceful and irreplaceable person who worked for the improvement of cultural welfare in Busoga region.
He donated land for the construction of Busoga University that was recently closed and implored government to render a hand in solving hindrances of the Busoga University other than closing it.
Addressing parliament, Museveni who arrived during session said he has known Bamwoze for 57 years, “I met him at a Christian youth camp at Nabugabo. I was a born again Christian (mulokole) and a very active member of the Scripture Union Movement,” he added.
Mr. Museveni said at that time, the movement of scripture union was really good in terms of making the young people learn the bible more but also be sensitized about life in general. “I TAKE this opportunity to salute this man, May his soul rest in peace,” said Mr. Museveni
“The church helped me so much; even when we were fighting, we did it in a Christian way. The mentality picked from religious instruction helped me to navigate through all those issues,” He said during the plenary.
Buzaaya County MP, Isaac Musumba said the lord has chosen to take his soul, “Bishop loved, embraced humanity, served for equality, religion and cultural leadership. He was a bishop like on other,” he said.
Minister for Presidency peace Mutuuzo said, the candle of bishop Bamwoze has burnt out however the candle of his achievements will burn forever. “He was a developmental oriented man and an agriculturalist who set up a fish farm where many learnt about fish farming,” she said.
Bishop Bamwoze was the first Bishop of Busoga Diocese being consecrated in 1972 after the creation of Busoga Diocese from Namirembe. He however, retired in 1998 after years of turbulence among his flock who accused him of maladministration and arrogance. He was succeeded by Dr Michael Kyomya.
An Old Boy of Busoga College Mwiri, students there will remember the Bishop for his generosity, as he always gifted his former house at the school with a bull from his farm to roast at the end of every year, as part of his way of giving back.