Janani Luwum

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Janani Luwum (right) and Idi Amin

Janani Jakaliya Luwum (1922 – 1977), an Acholi by tribe from Northern Uganda, was the Archbishop of the Church of Uganda from 1974 to 1977 and one of the most influential leaders of the modern church in Africa. He was murdered on 17 February 1977 by either Idi Amin personally or one of Amin's henchmen.

Janani Luwum joined the Anglican Church in Uganda and became a deacon in 1955. The following year he was ordained a priest. He served in the upper Nile Diocese of Uganda and later in the Diocese of Mbale. In 1961 he was consecrated bishop of the Anglican Church Province of northern Uganda at Gulu. After five years he was appointed archbishop of the Metropolitan Province of Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Boga in DR Congo, becoming the second African to hold this position.

Janani Luwum

Archbishop Luwum was a leading voice in criticizing the excesses of the Idi Amin regime that assumed power in 1971. In 1977, Archbishop Luwum delivered a note of protest to dictator Idi Amin against the policies of arbitrary killings and unexplained disappearances. Shortly afterwards the archbishop and other leading churchmen were accused of treason.

On 16 February 1977, Luwum was arrested, and the following morning it was announced that he had been killed in a car crash. The government claimed that the crash had been a tragic accident, but later revised their story and said the archbishop had been shot while trying to overcome the soldiers transporting him to detention. After some weeks the bullet-riddled body of Luwum was quietly released to his family.

According to the later testimony of witnesses, an enraged Idi Amin himself shot Luwum in the mouth, after he had refused to sign a confession and instead proceeded to pray.

Janani Luwum was buried at his home village of Mucwini in the Kitgum District. He is recognised as a martyr by the Church of England and his death is commemorated on 17 February. His statue is among the Twentieth Century Martyrs on the front of Westminster Abbey in London.