Mukirania, Yowasi (1931–2019)

Yowasi Mukirania was the first Mukonzo to train at Kamagambo for a Grade Three Teaching Course, and became one of the pioneer Bakonzo pastors in the Rwenzori mountains of Western Uganda.

Early Life and Family Background

Yowasi Mukirania came from the Bakonzo/Bayira people of the Rwenzori Mountains. He was born in September 1931, in Buhundu village in Bukangama Parish of Harugali subcounty in the Bundibugyo political district. His father was Ithungu Kalani, and his mother was Yayeri Muhindo.¹ Pastor Yowasi Mukirania was from the Abasu Bakumbule clan among the Bakonzo people. He had two sisters, Masika Anah and Esteri Mbambu. Apparently some of his would be elder siblings died when they were still young.² His name Mukirania means “One who comforts.” Among the Bakonzo people, this name is given to a child whose immediate sibling or siblings had died before he or she was born. The implied meaning was that God will comfort the parents and protect the new child to survive. Mukirania is thus a native name that expresses faith in God. Mukirania spent his early life in his home community in Buhundu.

Education and Conversion

In 1941, at age 15, Mukirania left the comfort of his home and village mates to begin his primary education at Izahura Primary School. He finished his primary education in 1951, then studied for four years at Kabarole Secondary School in Fortportal, western Uganda, graduating in 1955. He then joined Kamagambo Adventist Teachers College in Kisii Kenya, for a two-year Grade Three (G.III) Teaching Course, which he finished in 1958.³ This level of education was quite an achievement at this time among Mukirania’s community.

While still engaged in his primary education, Mukirania came into contact with the Seventh-day Adventist church through evangelistic series conducted by Pastor Denis Bazarra at a place called Bumate. In July 1952 Mukirania was baptized by a missionary pastor named H. E. Kotz.⁴

Marriage and Family

On April 17, 1956 Yowasi Mukirania married Yuniya Kabugho at Kazingo Adventist Church. Their marriage was officiated by Pastor Denis Bazarra, then the area pastor.⁵ The couple were blessed with eight children, in the following order: Mberemu Emanuel (son), Zipporah Muhindo (daughter), Dinah Biira (daughter), David Nguru and Jonathan Kalani (twin brothers), Tito Kitsa (son), Mordecai Kamalha (son), and Musa Musafiri (son)⁶.

Ministry

Pastor Yowasi Mukirania started his service with the Adventist Church in 1956 as a school teacher at Kazingo Primary school. After serving one year at Kazingo, the church sent him to Kamagambo Adventist Teachers’ College to become a professional teacher, a skill which was much needed by both the church and the communities.⁷

Upon completion of the teacher training course, Mukirania was posted to work at Mitandi Adventist Primary school as a head teacher, where he worked from 1959 to 1964. For the latter part of 1964 Pastor and Mrs. Mukirania were transferred to Ikoba in Bunyoro sub region to work as evangelists. While at Ikoba, Yowasi Mukirania was shortlisted to go for a two-year ministerial training at Bugema College. He did this course from 1965 to 1966. He was posted to work as an evangelist at Mpondwe, Kasese political district, where he worked from 1967 to 1969. He was ordained to the gospel ministry in January 1970 at Mitandi.⁸ Upon his ordination he was posted back to Mitandi to work as the area pastor. He remained at Mitandi from 1970 to 1982.

From 1983 to 1990 Yowasi Mukirania served in departmental leadership at Western Uganda Field, in charge of departments such as Stewardship, Sabbath School, and Lay Activities (now known as Personal Ministries). From 1991 to 1993 he worked as a field translator. His last assignment was to serve as a field president at South Western Uganda in Kasese. This field was reorganized in 2012 into two fields, Rwenzori Field and South Western Uganda Filed. He served as field president from 1994 to 1997, when he formally retired from active church service, having served the church, together with his wife, for a total of 38 years, excluding the two years of his teacher education and the two years of ministerial training.⁹ In his retirement Mukirania lived a productive ministry. He was engaged in local church ministries and translation of Sabbath School lesson quarterlies and other nurture materials.¹⁰

Legacy

Yowasi Mukiraniya was the first Mukonzo pastor to train at Kamagambo for a teaching course. As a teacher his best teaching subjects were English and Mathematics.

Mukirania was a linguist. He had a rich vocabulary of his mother tongue, the Lhukonzo/Lhuyira. He had a good command of other languages like English, Luganda Rutooro, and Swahili. He translated songs from English to both Rutooro and Lhuyira. He was the first person to translate Sabbath School study guides into the Lhukonzo/ Luyira language, a service he continued to provide in his retirement. Because of his linguistic giftedness, he was identified by the Bible Society of Uganda to be one of their readers for the Runyoro / Rutooro Bible and the Kinande Bible.

The Rwenzori region was rocked with a prolonged bloody tribal conflict, which pitted the Banonzo and Bamba against the aristocratic Batooro. This conflict affected all aspects of life, including church. Pastor Mukirania was a stabilizing factor because of his diplomatic and negotiating skills. He helped to keep believers from all sides on talking terms to protect the church from the flares of tribal conflicts.

Pastor Yowasi Mukirania was also a humble man who influenced the people who came into his sphere of influence with his life of humility and selfless service. He had the ability to influence both old and young. He was a sociable and jolly man whose presence promoted joy and peace.

He breathed his last at Ishaka Adventist Hospital on July 11, 2019, at the age of 88. He was laid to rest July 14, 2019, at his home in Ibanda-Kyanya Town Council, Kasese district, at the foothills of the Rwenzori mountains.

Sources

Yowasi Mukirania’s Service Record, Rwenzori Field Secretariat, Kasese, Uganda.

Notes

1. Yowasi Mukirania’s Service Record, Rwenzori Field Secretariat.↩

2. Yunia Kabugho, telephone interview with the author, December 2020. Yuniya Kabugho is the widow of Pastor Yowasi Mukirania.↩

3. Yowasi Mukirania’s Service Record, Rwenzori Field Secretariat.↩

4. Yuniya Kabugho, telephone interview with the author, December 2020.↩

5. Ibid.↩

6. Rwenzori Field Secretariat Records.↩

7. Ibid.↩

8. Ibid.↩

9. Ibid.↩

10. Personal knowledge of the author who worked with Pastor Mukirania for more than 30 years.↩