Kihogo, David Wambura (1947–2020)

David Wambura Kihogo was a pastor, church planter and administrator, and founder of a school in Tanzania.

Early Life, Education, and Marriage

David Wambura Kihogo was born on June 10, 1947, in Nyamisisi village, Bunda district, Mara region, Tanzania. His father was Kihogo Nyawatura (1893-2000) and mother Wigoro (1916-2021). He was the sixth among nine siblings. He spent his childhood in Nyamisisi village, Ushashi area, Bunda, Tanzania.¹

He schooled at Nyambitirwa primary school and Ikizu secondary school. He then proceeded to Bugema Ministerial College in Uganda for the ministerial diploma, Spicer Memorial College, India and Southern College in the United States for a bachelor’s degree. He also attended Embassy University in Dallas, Texas, U.S.A., for a master’s degree.²

David Wambura Kihogo was married to Leeah Wambura on October 26, 1973. The marriage ceremony took place at Nyambitirwa SDA Church and was officiated by Pastor Elizafan Wanjara, assisted by Pastor Nyamwocha. The Kihogos had three children: Victoria, Kihogo, and Ryhwa.³

Ministry

Pastor David W. Kihogo served in several capacities in the Seventh-day Adventist Church as follows: district pastor in Morogoro, Tanzania (1977); Sabbath School, Youth and Lay Activities director, Central Nyanza Field, Tanzania (1977-1981); president of Mara Conference, Tanzania, 1991; executive secretary, Tanzania Union Mission (1992); treasurer, Tanzania Union Mission (1993-1996); president, Mara Conference (1996-1999).⁴

When Kihogo retired from active church service, he started an independent ministry through education. He established a learning center for kindergarten and primary education, purposely for evangelizing children and young people, under the direction of the Ministry of Education in Tanzania.⁵ The center grew and was named Olympus Academy. While the school is not owned by the Seventh-day Adventist Church, it nevertheless operates under the Adventist philosophy of education. Every year there is conducted a camp meeting by Mara Conference. Thus, the institution became an evangelism center.

Contribution

Pastor David Wambura Kihogo died on June 3, 2020, at Ushashi, in the village in which he was born, Bunda district, Mara region, Tanzania.⁶

In addition to establishing Olympus School, which serves today as an evangelistic center, more than one hundred local Adventist churches were organized under his ministry that are vibrant until this day.

Sources

Ministry of Education and Culture in the United Republic of Tanzania, Reg. no MR. 03/7/E.A 001 and MR. 03/7/001 as from November 3, 2004.

Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook, relevant years. https://www.adventistyearbook.org/.

Notes

1. Leah D. Kihogo, the wife of the late David W. Kihogo, interview by the author, Bunda, Tanzania, November 11, 2021.↩

2. Ibid.↩

3. Ibid.↩

4. Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook, relevant years, https://www.adventistyearbook.org/.↩

5. Ministry of Education and Culture in the United Republic of Tanzania, Reg. no MR. 03/7/E.A 001 and MR. 03/7/001 as from November 3, 2004.↩

6. Leah D. Kihogo, the wife of the late David W. Kihogo, interview by the author, Bunda, Tanzania, November 11, 2021.↩