Rt. Rev. Albert Edward Baharagate Bishop Emeritus Hoima Diocese Dies

The Bishop Emeritus of Hoima Catholic Diocese, Rt. Rev. Albert Edward Baharagate Akiiki has passed away.

His death was confirmed by the Hoima Diocese Bishop, Rt Rev Vincent Kirabo on Holy Thursday 06th April 2023. According to the letter released, Bishop Edward passed away on Holy Wednesday 5th April 2023 at 10:20pm in Nsambya Hospital.

His Family and Education Background.

Bishop Baharagate Akiiki was born February 25, 1930 at Nyamigisa in Masindi district of Mid-Western Uganda to Kwebiiha Isidore Abwoli and Kabanaku Febronia Abwoli of Abayonza clan.

He was baptized by Father Henry Blanc, M. Afr on February 26, 1930, and was given the name Albert Edward; he received first Holy Communion in 1939, and the Sacrament of Confirmation on February 24, 1940. From 1939 to 1942 Baharagate attended the then Sacred Heart of Jesus Primary School Nyamigisa which is now called Saint. Dominic Savio Primary School Nyamigisa.

He received primary, minor and major seminary education under the Missionary of Africa (White Fathers) from 1938 to 1958 whereby in 1943 he joined St. Francis Xavier Kitabi Seminary in Ankole District. There he did Junior secondary education (1943-1946) and Senior secondary education (1947-1949).

Kitabi Seminary prepared him into a rare future clergyman with a strong interest in sports, namely, soccer and lawn tennis as well as music, especially playing the organ and keyboard. He developed and utilized these talents at Katigondo Major Seminary formation, in his priestly ministry, during his further studies in Rome, and in his apostolic ministry in Hoima Catholic Diocese (HCD).

At Kitabi and through Katigondo Regional Major Seminary, Baharagate was a contemporary of his three co-future clergymen in Uganda whose influence and contribution to the Church remains significant: Bishop Barnabas Halem’Imana of Kigezi (Kabale), Bishop John Baptist Kakubi of Ankole (Mbarara) and Bishop Festo Magambo from Tooro (Fort Portal). The three were consecrated bishops with him on August 1, 1969. While all the others are deceased, Baharagate, has also passed on.

He is the last of the four Ugandan Bishops consecrated by His Holiness Pope Paul VI on 1st August 1969 at Kololo Airstrip. In this beautiful historical black and white photo, Bishop Baharagate is seen seated on the extreme right. Next to him is Bishop Serapio Magambo (Fort Portal), Bishop Barnabas Halem’Imana (Kabale), and Bishop John Baptist Kakubi (Mbarara).

His Mission, Achievements and Legacy.

After his installation as Ordinary of Hoima, on October 5, 1969, Bishop Baharagate embarked on the unknown, complex, and unstable future that characterized Uganda’s political, economic and social upheavals.

The details of his mission, achievements, and legacy which cover a period of nearly twenty-two years are treated in a book entitled Bishop Albert E. Baharagate: Mission, Achievements, and Legacy (2018). The book commemorates his 2018 Diamond and 2019 Golden jubilee celebrations in priesthood and episcopacy respectively.

However, in this article the following are highlighted as regards the mission, achievements, and legacy.

Bishop Baharagate’s mission, and later on his achievements appear to have been inspired by the homily given by Pope Paul VI during his episcopacy consecration during which the Holy Father said:

“… you have to found your local Churches … to build them up …. You have to seek out, and call to the faith new Christians – a great task, this is, one which meets with difficulties of every kind, thus demanding from the Bishop and his collaborators self-denial, courage, constancy, wisdom and sacrifice… You must work in poverty, and often against opposition. And your hearts are open wide to the children, to youth, to the poor, and to all who suffer. It is by means of this pastoral toil that you experience the three phases of the missionary apostolate: evangelization or the planting of the seed …; formation, or growth …; and finally, the development of its native character, of its African-ness … with the aspiration, not only towards its own self-sufficiency … but also, towards an expansive and missionary ability.”

Bishop Baharagate’s approach to evangelization led to the introduction and growth of the Lay Apostolic Commission which promoted the activities of Catholic Action, Uganda Kolping Society, Catholic Charismatic Renewal, and many other Catholic associations and movements in HCD. Parishes also increased from 7 to 17 which was made possible as he trained and ordained many priests. Lasting marks in the Diocese remains Our Lady of Lourdes Bujumbura Cathedral which he renovated and expanded thus making it one of the largest cathedral churches in Uganda; Hoima Diocese Construction Department; St. John Bosco’s Seminary and St. Joseph Mukasa Balikuddembe Mugalike Catechetical Training Centre.

Pope Paul VI inaugurated the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) on July 31, 1969, at Rubaga Cathedral in Kampala, Uganda.

The consecration of Bishop-elect Baharagate was to follow the following day on August 1, 1969 at Kololo Independence Grounds. Bishops-elect, became one of the founding Fathers of this continental ecclesiastical body.

Baharagate’s election came at a moment when the Church in Africa was growing rapidly and its hierarchy was transiting from the expatriate missionary to an African leadership. This Africanization of Church hierarchy was backed by the following factual and historical claims: firstly, four dioceses were created (1 in Kenya, 1 in Upper Volta, that is, Burkina Faso, and 2 in Nigeria) and given to the African prelates; secondly, a number of expatriate missionary bishops were succeeded by indigenous African prelates so much that consequently, twelve priests were appointed bishops between May 22, 1969 and July 7, 1969.

The newly appointments were as follows:

Rt. Rev. Barnabas Halem’Imana, appointed First Ordinary of Kabale, Uganda on May 29, 1969.

Rt. Rev. Sarapio Magambo, appointed auxiliary of Fort Portal, Uganda, on June 26, 1969.

Rt. Rev. John Baptist Kakubi, appointed the Third Ordinary in succession for Mbarara, Uganda, on July 2, 1969.

Rt. Rev. Edward Albert Baharagate appointed Second Ordinary in succession for Hoima, Uganda, on July 7, 1969.

Rt. Rev. Raphael Ndingi, appointed first Bishop of the Diocese of Machakos, Kenya on May 29, 1969.

Rt. Rev. Emile Njeru, appointed auxiliary of the Diocese of Eldoret, Kenya, on May 22, 1969.

Rt. Rev. Emmanuel Milingo of Lusaka, Zambia appointed Second Archbishop of Lusaka on May 29, 1969 but laicized on December 17, 2009.

Rt. Rev. William Mahony of Ilorin, appointed First Ordinary of the Diocese of Ilorin, Nigeria, on May 29, 1969.

Rt. Rev. Anthony Salui Sanusi, appointed auxiliary of Garoua, of Ijebu-Ode, Nigeria, on May 29, 1969.

Rt. Rev. Jean – Marie Joseph Pasquire appointed auxiliary of Garoua, of Garoua, Cameroon, on May 29, 1969.

Rt. Rev. Andre Fernad Anguile appointed Archbishop of Libreville, Gabon, on May 29, 1969.

Rt. Rev. Constantine Guirma appointed First Bishop of the Diocese of Kaya, Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso) on Jun 26, 1969.

Pope Paul VI consecrated all of them during his First Apostolic visit to Uganda and Africa on August 1, 1969, with Archbishop Sergio Pignedoli and Archbishop Emmanuel Kiwanuka Nsubuga of Kampala as co-Consecrators. Archbishop Pignedoli was at that time the Secretary of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.

His Retirement

After 22 years at the helm of Hoima Diocese, Bishop Baharagate could not take on the leadership any longer although he had 14 years before hitting the mandatory retirement age. During the interview with Uganda Radio Network in 2022, he noted that he had done his part and wanted another person to continue. He retired in 1991 at the age of 61. According to the Canon Law, the retirement age for a Catholic bishop is 75 years.

In 1990, after accepting Baharagate’s request to retire, the Pope appointed Deogratias Muganwa Byabazaire as Coadjutor Bishop, or bishop in waiting, of Hoima. Bishop Byabazaire eventually took charge of the diocese in March 1991, going on to serve until his death in February 2014.

In November 2015 Pope Francis appointed Vincent Kirabo Amooti, then a lecturer at Ggaba National Seminary, as Bishop of Hoima Diocese.