The Catholic Diocese of Jinja is draped in mourning following the passing of Rt. Rev. Charles Martin Wamika, the beloved Bishop Ordinary of Jinja. The quiet spiritual giant, known for his humility, warmth, and unwavering defense of family and faith, slipped into eternal rest on Tuesday afternoon around 16:00hrs EAT at the age of 72.
The Diocese of Jinja confirmed the news in a statement:
“It is with deep sorrow and Christian hope in the resurrection that the Diocese of Jinja announces the passing on of our beloved shepherd”
A Life Rooted in Faith and Service
Born on August 12, 1953, in the rural heart of present-day Budaka District in Eastern Uganda, Wamika’s journey to the episcopate was one of humble beginnings and steadfast calling.
He was ordained a priest on September 22, 1979, for the Archdiocese of Tororo, where he spent his early years in parish ministry, attending to the spiritual and material needs of the poor and marginalized. His pastoral heart was always drawn to “the vulnerable, the sick, and the overlooked,” as parishioners often recalled.
On October 18, 1993, Pope John Paul II appointed him Auxiliary Bishop of Tororo and Titular Bishop of Tacapae. He was consecrated the following February by Bishop James Odongo, assisted by Archbishop Emmanuel Wamala and Bishop Joseph Bernard Willigers.
When Pope Benedict XVI transferred him to the Diocese of Jinja on March 2, 2010, Wamika succeeded the long-serving missionary Bishop Willigers, marking a historic moment as the first Ugandan-born shepherd of the diocese.
At Willigers’ funeral in 2014, Bishop Wamika described his predecessor as “a man remembered for his great love and concern towards the needy”—words that would later define his own episcopal legacy.
A Shepherd of Faith and Justice
For 15 years, Bishop Wamika led the Diocese of Jinja—a dynamic faith community of more than 300,000 Catholics spread across over 50 parishes. His tenure was characterized by pastoral renewal, evangelization, and a fearless moral voice in Uganda’s public life.
In 2023, he joined fellow bishops in decrying gun violence, urging tighter controls and a return to the sanctity of human life. His sermons, often fiery yet compassionate, addressed Uganda’s moral drift:
“The increasing problems and suffering among Ugandans is because of lack of faith,” he once said. “A world that drifts from prayer invites chaos.”
During Lent, he would call the faithful to “refocus through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving,” reminding them that true life beyond death “holds no fear for those who honor God.”
Defender of the Family
Yet perhaps no theme defined Bishop Wamika’s ministry more than the family—which he described as “the domestic Church and the first altar of love.”
Long before his episcopal silver jubilee in 2019, Wamika championed family ministry, recognizing the strain on marriages and parenthood in a fast-changing Uganda. “Priests are also human beings; they come from families like you,” he once told parishioners, reminding them that “the Church’s mission begins at the hearth.”
In 2019, as he celebrated 40 years of priesthood and 25 years as bishop, Wamika launched Jinja’s inaugural Family Day, which saw the creation of a Council for Children and a year-long awareness campaign for the elderly. But his most cherished innovation was the marriage renewal ceremonies, where couples publicly recommitted their vows before God and community.
“Faith is the life-blood of heaven,” he proclaimed at the 2023 Uganda Martyrs Day celebrations in Namugongo, drawing inspiration from the martyrs’ steadfast witness.
One participant in a 2022 marriage renewal ceremony at Rubaga Cathedral fondly recalled,
“He didn’t just bless the rings; he breathed life into promises long worn thin by time. For many, it was a rebirth—not of vows, but of hope.”
Under his guidance, Jinja Diocese became a national model for family-centered pastoral care—hosting workshops on marital fidelity, parenting, and reconciliation in homes fractured by modern pressures.
Compassion in Action
Bishop Wamika also supported social outreach initiatives such as the Camillian Missionaries’ health ministry in Kimaka, praising their service to the poor as “a reflection of familial charity.” In a 2025 message, he wrote:
“Your ministry has brought hope, healing, and comfort to many.”
Beyond Jinja, his voice resonated nationally. At the 2023 Martyrs’ Day celebrations, he urged Ugandans to embrace fearless faith, invoking the courage of young martyr Kizito:
“Openly practicing faith is essential for personal growth and for strengthening others.”
Whether in cathedrals or rural chapels, his homilies carried a fatherly tone and deep introspection. “What have you added to this world?” he once asked during an Ash Wednesday Mass at Parliament—a question that still echoes among his flock.
We await the official statement from the Uganda Episcopal Conference and the Diocese of Jinja with the burial arrangement.
