Kibuye Parish - the seat of Mengo Archdeaconry

St. Luke's Church of Uganda Kibuye is the seat for both Mengo Archdeaconry and Kibuye Parish. This was the very first church in this parish. It was started way back in 1904. The land on which this church stands, was donated to the church by Namasole Everlyn Kulabako (Queen Mother of Ssekabaka Sir Daudi Chwa II).

St. Luke Kibuye the seat of Kibuye Parish and Mengo Archdeaconry

The first lay reader of this church was called Tomasi Kiriibwa. He used to stay at a place currently known as ewa Luvuuma. During one of his preaching sessions, Namasole Kulabako felt touched and thus donated the land on which the Church is located today.

This church was used to be commonly referred to as "Ekanisa ya Namasole" (The Queen Mother's Church). The reason as to why it was called so is that  it started in Namasole's palace at Lusaka. It is just a stone throw from the current location of the church.

In 1952, Christians of St. Luke Kibuye bid farewell to their parish priest 
Rev. Yeremiya Ssebadduka. One of the young christians on the front with 
a circle is Drake Ssekkeba

The day Bishop Stuart Bid Farewell to the christians of St. Luke Kibuye on 2nd March 1952

The current church was built in 1911, and in 1916 a foundation stone was placed on it and it was fully consecrated as a true place of worship by Bishop J.J. Willis. One of the many Christians who participated in bringing stones for the construction of this church and is still living is Mr. G.W. Ssempa.
At the same time, they had started a school headed by the late Kafeero who doubled as the Church warden. The other living person who was one of the pioneer Christians is Ms. Catherine Nanfuka. This church is very unique in that it was constructed using stones instead of bricks. These stones were ferried by the Christians themselves.

Rt. Rev. J.J. Willis the Bishop of Uganda consecrated the Church in 1916

During the 1940's this church was referred to as "Ekanisa ya Buladde". It was bout to be burnt to ashes when Namasole Drucilla Namaganda re-wed in that church to Rev. Peter Kigozi. Many Baganda loyalists never approved of it. It was a taboo for the Queen mother to re-marry moreover to a common man (a mukopi). The password Buladde (Meaning Buganda is ok) saved this Church. When the group of Baganda youths who had planned to torch down the church and to throw stones to the bridal party heard the word Buladde meaning that Buganda was peaceful, they decided to abandon all their plans.

Namasole Drucilla Namaganda and Rev. Peter Kigozi

Rev. Tefiro Bamutenda presided over at the wedding of Rev. Peter Kigozi and Irene Drucilla Namaganda.

Rev. Tefiro Bamutenda

During that time, Rev. Tefiro Bamutenda was regarded as a rebel priest for carrying out the wedding at Kibuye. He was also the first priest to  baptise children of unmarried couples at St. Luke Kibuye. He never regretted that act because he believed that those children had no case to be segregated.

He served at St. Luke from 1937 to 1945. When he was transferred to Ngogwe, he continued baptising those children regarded as sinful. The Native Anglican Church in Uganda (NAC) decided to force him to resign.  Even after he had retired, christians from all walks of like use to go to his home at Kisaala Buikwe, Kyaggwe where he continued baptising those children.

St. Luke Kibuye takes second position in Namirembe Diocese after Namirembe Cathedral. When the seat of Mengo Archdeaconry was transferred from Namirembe Cathedral during the reign of Bishop Dr. Dunstan Nsubuga, it was brought to Kibuye St. Luke.

This is the only church in Buganda that was started by a Namasole and she remained one of the Christians in that very church.

The other reason as to why this church is so important is that Sir Albert Cook, the missionary doctor who started Mengo Hospital and the father of medicine in Uganda was a regular Christian in this Church. He used to stay in Makindye. Dr. Albert Cook and his wife were very strong pillars during the construction of the Church at Kibuye. This is the reason as why when the Church decided to build a  health centre at this place, it was named after Sir Albert Cook.

Dr. Albert Cook and his wife Catherine Cook

The Rev. Can. Ezra Kamya who served as Parish Priest between 1979 - 1982 conceived an idea of building a health facility at the Church and proposed the name to be Sir Albert Cook Clinic in memory of the two medical missionaries who were parishioners of St. Luke Kibuye. Can. Kamya was very instrumental in construction of the clinic. Christians recall that on a given day, Can Kamya would be seen participating in the construction. The late Can. Kamya is the father of retired Bishop of West Buganda Diocese Rt. Rev. Kefa Kamya Ssemakula.

Rev. Can. Ezra Kamya

Sir Albert Clinic at Kibuye Parish

The refurbished Sir Albert Cook Medical Centre at Kibuye

The proposed St. Luke Kibuye Parish Church

Ven. John Gitta Kavuma - The Archdeacon of Mengo and Parish Priest of Kibuye Parish

At first Kibuye Parish used to cover the following churches: Munyonyo, Salaama, Kabowa and Masajja.
Currently the following are the sub-parishes under Kibuye Parish;
St. Luke Kibuye
St. Stephen Lukuli
St. James Luwafu
St. Mark Kibuye
St. Johns Lusaka
Canon Kiddu Chapel

The following are the Parish priests that have served in Kibuye Parish basing at St. Luke Kibuye.

1	Rev. Nasanayiri Mudeka	Rev. Mukuye- The Assistant Vicar Kibuye Parish 1914 -1922
2	Rev. O.K. Nsubuga	1923- 1927
	3    Rev. N.K. Nakiwafu/Rev. A.G Binaisa	1928
4	Rev. Y.K. Musoke	1929 –1936
5	Rev. Tefiro Bamutenda	1937 –1945
6	Rev. N. Wampamba	1946 –1950
7	Rev. Yese B. Kibuuka	1950
8	Rev. Yeremiya Ssebadduka	1951- 1952
9	Rev. A. Nsale	1952- 1955
10	Rev. B.M. Galiwango	1956
11	Rev. Can. Zakayo Kiddu	1957- 1968
12	Rev. Nsubuga	1968 - 1969
13	Rev. Canon Yakobo Baddokwaya	1969 -1976
14	Rev. Erunaayo Mwanje	1977 –1978
15	Rev. Can. Ezra Kamya	1979- 1981
16	Ven. Rev. Can Dr. G.M. Kityo	1981- 1990
17	Ven. Can. Yakobo Baddokwaya	1990
18	Ven. G.W. Ssekitoleko	1990 –1994
19	Ven. Can, George Mugula	1994- 1997
20	Ven. Can Samuel Kasujja	1998 –2001
21	Ven. Rev. Can Nelson Kaweesa
22	Ven. Rev. Can Daudi Sserubidde	2002 - 2007
23	Ven. Rev. John Gitta Kavuma	2008 –todate

Assistant Vicars

1.     Rev. Nathan Ntege

2.     Rev. John Kateeba

3.     Rev. Ttus K. Mubiru

4.     Rev. C,K. Ssempa

5.     Rev. Hannington Mutebi (Now Assistant Bishop Kampala Diocese)

6.     Rev. Kenneth Ssewannyana

7.     Rev. H. Nsubuga

8.     Rev. Silas Musoke (now Archdeacon Gayaza)

9.     Rev. Henry Maguzi

10. Rev. Harriet Nantongo

11. Rev. Joy Magala

12. Rev. Ephrance Kakangula

13. Rev. Mubiru

14. Rev. David Sekiziyivu

15. Rev. Sanga Mulinda

16. Rev. James Samuel Nsonga

17. Rev. David Ssekiziyivu

18. Rev. George Kuza

19. Rev. Lubega Kisakye

20. Rev. Henry Katumba-Tamale - 

21. Rev. Kisitu

22. Rev. Keziya

23. Rev. Edward Gombe

24. Rev. Moses Kayimba

The first priest at St. Luke Kibuye was Rev. Nasanayiri Mudeka. He later on became a canon. He served at this church from 1914 to 1922.
The first christian to be baptized at this church when it was still in the Namasole's palace at Lusaka was Ludiya Namakula. She was baptized on 14th June 1914 and Namasole Everlyn Kulabako was her God parent. The other christians that were  baptized included:
1. Ludiya G. Namakula    14th June 1914
2. Yuniya G. Namusoke 2nd August 1914
3. Ekiliya M. Nakanyolo  2nd August 1914
4. Yedidiya B. Walakira 2nd August 1914
5. Yowasi Musoke  30th August 1914
6. Saulo Lwalanda  his  date of baptism not known
7. Nuwa Yakuvuddeko   his  date of baptism not known
8. Erika Kiwanuka   his  date of baptism not known
9. Yoweri Tamale   his  date of baptism not known
10. Erika Mukasa   his  date of baptism not known
11. Erika Luyirika   his  date of baptism not known
13. Manjeri Namayanja  her  date of baptism not known
The other person baptised on 21st February 1915 was Nasanayiri Zaake. All those Christians were baptised by Rev. Nasanayiri Mudeka.

The 8 pillars in St. Luke Kibuye Church in 1917

The building committee that sat on 28th September 1917, resolved to have 8 pillars of bricks to support the church roof. The late Bulasiyo Lwalanda was requested to make bricks for that purpose. The committee was composed of the following people; Can. Mudeka; Yusuf - the treasurer; Yoswa Ssebalijja; Yairo Bamulumbye; Blasio Lwalanda; Sedulaka Walabyeki; Tomasi Kiribwa; Serwano Semakula; Isaka Lwalanda; Erisa Batabikere; Erasito Segobe; Tomasi K. Lwabidongo and Alistaliko Kaddu.

The pillars in the Church

Later on those pillars were increased to 14 when the church had been  enlarged.

After 50 years, when Rev. Baddokwaya was posted to this place between 1969- 1976, the pillars were removed on the basis that they were hindering christians from seeing each other. After they were removed, they put metallic poles and left only two original pillars.

Kibuye Day School 1923
On 29th December 1923, the Church council of St. Luke Kibuye passed a resolution of starting  Kibuye Day School. The Christians resolved to start the school in the old church building since the new church building was almost completed. It is not known when it came to pass because it took so long for the new church to be completed.

Completion of the St. Luke Church in 1932
In 1932, Mrs. Catherine Cook one of the Christians in this church, wrote in the church newspaper Ebifa announcing that the work of constructing the new St. Luke Church had been completed. She appealed to the Christians to see that they put in place a Church Warden to look after that Church. She went ahead to appeal to Christians to buy Church pews because those she had lent to them, were about to be taken away. She actually took them away.

The Church Organ of St. Luke Kibuye in 1931

In a church council that sat on 21st March 1931, the parish priest Rev. Y.K. Musoke brought the idea of purchasing a church organ for St. Luke. Some sections of christians were proposing to buy an organ from Mr. Dekasimu. The Council did not approve it saying that it was too small for St. Luke Kibuye Church. The Council also rejected the idea of looking for another organ since the church still had a very big debt.
In 1934, the Church Council sat again and passed a resolution to expedite the purchase of the church organ. Namasole contributed 200/- yet christians had only managed to contribute 71/- 65 cents. Mr. Byangwa a Christian of St. Luke who was  a great musician of the day and an accomplished organist was given the  responsibility of playing the organ. The organ was old but in good condition. That organ was bought at 200/- yet a new one would cost 1000/-.

The Centenary Organ of St. Luke Kibuye (1977)
History does not indicate how many years the 1934 St. Luke organ served. In 1977 one Christian by the names Ntambi C. Kikomeko recalls that in that year when the Church of Uganda was celebrating 100 years in Uganda, one Christian by the names John Bombokka requested  the then Choirmastr Yafeesi Kiyaga Kauma to get two young men to be his grooms' men at the wedding of his friend Fred Sebina who was staying in Muyenga.

Fred Sebina

Kauma chose two boys namely; Christopher Ntambi Kikomeko (11) and David Kiweewa (13). Kauma took the boys to Muyenga to fit in the wedding clothes. When they entered the sitting room, Kauma was

The organ that was donated by Fred Sebina

mesmerised to see a very good organ. Being a musician, he stealthily went and played some notes on the organ. The voice of the organ was heavenly. Kauma then asked Sebina whether It was possible for St. Luke Church to have such an organ.

Mr. Sam Bagenda, the Church Organist

Since Sebina loved the Lord so much and at that time what was on his mind was his wedding to Juliet. He asked his wife Juliet whether it was ok for them to donate that Organ to St. Luke Kibuye as Kawuma had requested. Juliet is said to have responded "Let it be like Kauma has requested" The rest is history. This is the organ that has been playing in St. Luke Kibuye to date.

Expansion of the Church;
Plans are in high gear for the expansion of the Church into a modern Church building. They have so far started with the offices.

Construction of the Church has started with the offices and Vestry