Uganda: Church Chronology

January 1969–April 1973 • UgandaExpatriate Latter-day Saints living in Uganda began holding regular meetings in the home of Bessie and Farrel J. Olsen.

June 8, 1978 • Salt Lake City, Utah, USAThe First Presidency announced that “all of the privileges and blessings which the gospel affords” would now be available to all Church members and all worthy men could “be ordained to the priesthood without regard for race or color” (Official Declaration 2).

1987–90 • UgandaUgandans, including Edward Ojuka, Mary Jean Akello, and Charles Osinde, joined the Church while living abroad for work and education. Many later returned to Uganda, where they organized meetings in their homes.

August 25, 1990 • Entebbe, UgandaThe first local Ugandan convert was baptized in the country.

October 29, 1990 • Kampala, UgandaThe first Relief Society homemaking meeting in Uganda was at the home of Jean Akello in Kampala, with Mary Jean Akello, Peggy Denton, LuDean Worthen, Julian Mbabazi, and Loyce Asio in attendance.

March 3, 1991 • KampalaThe Kampala Branch was organized. With more than 30 in attendance, the members began meeting in a school rather than in the Osinde home.

April 23, 1991 • Kampala and Jinja, UgandaThe Church was officially registered in Kampala and Jinja. About a year later, on June 16, 1992, the Church received nationwide recognition from the National Board for Non-Governmental Organizations.

June 2, 1991 • KampalaCharles Osinde and five other Ugandans were ordained to the Melchizedek Priesthood. Charles was called as the Kampala Branch president, becoming the first native Ugandan branch president.

October 23, 1991 • KampalaLocal Latter-day Saints gathered at the Sheraton Hotel in Kampala for the dedication of Uganda for the preaching of the gospel by Elder James E. Faust of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

February 16, 1992 • KampalaThe Kampala Uganda District was organized at Colline House in Kampala.

May 16, 1992 • KampalaMary Jean Akello became the first seminary teacher, and Alice Tiberonda became the first institute teacher in Uganda. Shortly thereafter, Sam Nabeta because a seminary teacher in Jinja.

December 1992 • UgandaAmos Tumwesigye and Robert Kagabo were the first from Uganda to accept full-time missionary calls, serving in the Kenya Nairobi Mission. Alice Katagwa, the first female missionary from Uganda, was also called to serve in the Kenya Nairobi Mission.

February 1993 • KampalaChristopher Mugimu began publishing a local Church newsletter, including a history of the Church in Uganda from 1989 to 1992 by early members Jean Akello and Robert Kagabo.

June 20, 1993 • Mukono, UgandaThe Mukono Branch was organized, with Byalusaago Mugimu as branch president and Harriet Walusimbi as Relief Society president.

December 5, 1993 • JinjaThe Jinja Uganda District was organized.

September 21, 1997 • Kampala

The Kololo Branch meetinghouse in Kampala, Uganda, was dedicated.

March 2000 • UgandaThe Church was required to reregister in Uganda for one year and then request additional renewals until it could receive a 60-month approval. Missionary work slowed, as investigators did not want to be associated with a Church that was under investigation or unregistered.

May 2006 • Johannesburg, South AfricaThe first organized temple trip consisted of three families and eight individuals from Uganda who went to the Johannesburg South Africa Temple to receive their ordinances.

January 17, 2010 • KampalaThe Kampala Uganda Stake was organized, with Jimmy Carter Okot as president and Giles Odongo as patriarch.

July 30, 2013 • KampalaMembers of the Kololo, Nsabya, Makindye, Mutungo, and Ntinda congregations participated in a Helping Hands project at Earnest Nursery and Primary School.

December 2014 • KampalaA young single adult conference, “Born to Lead,” brought together more than 180 Latter-day Saints from different tribes, languages, and regions of Uganda.

2015 • KampalaMilly Elwor, Harriet Susan Atim, Christine Nayiga, and Anita Nabudde of the presidency of the Ntinda Relief Society initiated an annual drive in the Ntinda Branch to collect basic necessities such as clothes, shoes, and cooking tools; keep them on hand in a storage room; and share them with those who could use them.

August 2016 • KampalaFive new family history centers opened in Kampala.

2017 • Kajjansi, UgandaThe Kajjansi Second Branch organized a “Bishop Store House Run,” where members participated in a two-hour run, starting from the chapel and moving through the community. Every participant brought a food item to donate to the bishop’s storehouse.

July 27, 2019 • KampalaThe Kampala Uganda North Stake held a couples conference on strengthening marriage relationships at the Ntinda Ward meetinghouse.

November 2, 2019 • KampalaFrederick M. Kamya, Kansanga Stake president, hosted hundreds of visitors for the open house of the Kansanga meetinghouse. The guest of honor was Owek. Charles Peter Mayiga, prime minister of the Kingdom of Buganda.