At the BCD, we received the sad news of the demise of Rt. Rev Charles Wamika which occurred on Wednesday 22nd October 2025 with great tremor. Death has indeed robbed Jinja Diocese and Ugandans in general, of one of its celebrated spiritual shepherds who, during his life time, worked hard to improve the social, economic and spiritual status of his flock; and the people of Busoga in general.
Bishop Charles Wamikahas lived a full life and I strongly believe that he has served humanity to the best of his ability. He has been known to serve his church diligently and with great humility. His zeal to amplify the dissemination of the word of God through education, preaching, call for unity and infrastructure development was UNMATCHED not only in Jinja Diocese but across all points of his tour of service. He thus preached, and lived the gospel by example and not words. At some point, illness kept him away from his flock causing a lot of anxiety among us as believers who passionately wished to have him available all the time which inevitably couldn’t be possible.
During this moment of pain and sorrow, I join everybody to celebrate the 14 years of priesthood and 32 years as Bishop for the late Rt. Rev. Bishop Charles Wamika.
Uganda and the Catholic Church will forever celebrate the late bishop’s historic presiding over of the June 3rd, 2023 Namugongo Martyrs Day that has since been rated among the very BEST Martyrs Day commemorations since 1975 when the Basilica of the Uganda Martyrs Shrine at Namugongo was opened. Equally, the BCD will always remember the late bishop’s role in the founding of the BUSOGA PRAYER WEEK that commenced in July 2022 and has since become a key an annual program on the BCD calendar. As we prepare to send him off, let us beseech the Almighty God to receive and reward him abundantly.
On behalf of the BCD and my own behalf, I convey to the Family as well as the Catholic Fraternity of Jinja Diocese and Uganda at large, my deepest condolences.
As we send off our fallen spiritual shepherd, I enjoin you to find solace in these Biblical words:
_“I am the resurrection and life, whoever believes in me, though he dies, yet shall he live forever” John 11:25_
May the Soul of the deceased rest in eternal peace.
For God and my Country.