Uganda Martyr Mukasa Kiriwawanvu

Mukasa Kiriwawanvu, the only one of the twenty-two beatified martyrs to die without the baptism of water, was a fervent catechumen but when at the height of the crisis Charles Lwanga baptized the other catechumens, he was already in prison for striking his fellow-page Gyaviira.

Uganda Martyr Mukasa Kiriwawanvu

It is suggested that a practical difficulty prevented him from being baptized during the journey to Namugongo, or during the week’s imprisonment there. There is certainly no record of this catechumen having received the sacrament.

Mukasa Kiriwawanvu, the son of Lumanyika of the Sheep (Ndiga) clan, who held, successively, a number of subchieftainships in various parts of the kingdom. In recognition of his prowess as a astute athlete and sports personality, the Kabaka gave Lumanyika a Musoga slave-girl called Malokuvawo, who bore him five children.

One of the children was the martyr Mukasa Kiriwawanvu. The youth was born, between 1861 and 1866, at Nakasawula in Kyaggwe County at a time when his father was assistant to the chief, Serumbe. Taking after his father, he grew up tall and powerful, long of limb and dark coloured, and was presented at Court by Kawulukisi, a village chief in Ssingo County, to whom Lumanyika was at the time attached as an assistant. The young man must have got in touch with Catholic missionaries when he served Lourdel and the other missionaries food when they came to visit the Kabaka.

On the fateful afternoon of 26th May 1886, the day King Mwanga condemned Christians, one catechumen, Mukasa Kiriwawanvu was in prison for striking his fellow page and future martyr Gyaviira Musoke.
When Mukaajanga was leading condemned Christians to their last places, he arrived at his encampment and formally announced to Kiriwawanvu the sentence of death passed upon him.

See more on Uganda Martyrs Wikipedia

 

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