Africa-Press – Uganda. many times, we give up, in turn, miss the would-be benefits of enduring to the last moments in a faithful manner,” wrote Simon Peter Mukhama in the latest edition of the Bible Society of Uganda (BSU) newsletter, emphasising the significance of enduring faithfully until the end.
Mukhama, an esteemed figure in the religious community and secretary general of BSU, succumbed to diabetes on May 12.
Born on December 6, 1969, in the rural village of Nabumali, Mbale, Mukhama was raised in a humble family by Mr John and Ms Joy Mukhama. They instilled strong Christian values in him.
He attended Nabumali Church of Uganda Primary School before progressing to Nabumali High School and Caltec Academy Makerere for his O and A levels, respectively.
Later, he pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, majoring in accounting at Makerere University.
He obtained a CPA certificate from Kenya’s Accountants Examination Body.
Mukhama further achieved a Master’s degree in Business Administration from ESAMI Management Institute in Arusha,Tanzania and, shortly before his death, a PhD in Leadership from Walden University, USA on April 19.
While his professional path was pursued later in life, his spiritual journey began early on. He immersed himself in the teachings of the Bible.
Upon graduating in 1994, Mukhama faced challenges in securing an accounting job. This led him to embrace a career in child development.
For five consecutive years, he served as a child development officer in three different organisations dedicated to children.
In 1998, his pursuit of an accounting position bore fruit when he joined The Bible Society of Uganda as an account assistant.
He held the role until 2000 before becoming the communications officer in 2001 and subsequently the business manager in 2005.
Bible ministry
Mukhama then became general secretary in 2009, succeeding Henry Kalule.
His primary responsibility in this position, which he held until his death, was to ensure that the Bible reaches people in the language they understand best.
During his tenure with the BSU, he served as a member of the Finance and Audit committee at the United Bible Societies (UBS) global council.
He was later appointed as the African representative on the global council and vice chairperson.
In a 2019 interview, Mukhama reflected on when President Museveni presented Pope Francis with a bilingual Bible in Spanish and English during the Pontiff’s visit to Uganda in 2015.
This unique gift was Mukhama’s idea, as he had observed the pope’s difficulty with English during a visit to Rome.
For Mukhama, the Bible society served as both his professional home in accounting and business and his passion for the Bible.
He spearheaded initiatives to enhance accessibility to the Bible nationwide.
He led efforts to distribute Bibles to remote areas, schools, and prisons, reaching out to those who lacked access to spiritual guidance and collaborated with international organisations and Bible societies.
Notable feats
Under Mukhama’s visionary leadership, the BSU achieved remarkable milestones and transformative initiatives.
One of his notable achievements is the establishment of four BSU branches, expanding its reach and influence across different regions. These branches, in Fort Portal, Soroti, Gulu and Mbarara, have brought the life-transforming message of the Bible closer to people.
To ensure accessibility and inclusivity, Mukhama led the development and launch of six complete local language Bibles.
These translations are in Lumasaba, Kumam, Karimajong, Lusoga, Lusamya, and Dhopadhola.
Recognising the importance of sustainability, Mukhama revitalised the life membership programme at BSU.
This strategic move ensured the society’s continued work and fostered a sense of ownership and long-term commitment among members, making a lasting impact in communities across Uganda.
Mukhama’s commitment to Bible advocacy extended to special groups, including the blind and deaf communities, refugees, the elderly, and prisoners.
He oversaw the development of a braille Bible, enabling the visually impaired to independently access the scriptures, fostering inclusion and empowerment.
Under Mukhama’s leadership, BSU also achieved significant milestones in Bible publishing. The society published two notable bilingual Bibles.
The first, an English to Spanish Bible which was gifted to the pope, symbolising the global impact of BSU’s work.
The second, an English to Luganda Bible, was launched in 2018 during the Bible society’s 50th anniversary celebrations.
In addition, Mukhama initiated the construction of a new Bible House on plot 38 Bombo Road in Kampala, currently 89 percent complete.
This facility will serve as a hub for the society’s operations.
Hailed
Archbishop Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu praised Mukhama’s transformative impact on the BSU and his swift establishment of the Bible House.
“The Christian community will always remember his influence,” Archbishop Kaziimba said.
Ms Patricia K. Rutiba, the author of Knights in Kampala, described Mukhama as a brilliant, zealous man of integrity.
She emphasised his dedication to serving others, irrespective of their status, highlighting his attentiveness to young children and individuals with special needs.
Ms Rutiba shared the testimonies of Mukhama’s effective leadership, his passion for advancing God’s kingdom, as well as the love and care he consistently showed his family.
In her book, Ms Rutiba challenged the notion that genuine, godly men of integrity were lacking in Kampala.
“It is easy to say, ‘No way, Kampala is full of selfish, greedy, godless, chauvinistic men, pure tricksters because the news is full of stories about men with no scrupules. If we keep seeing only the famous but few bad examples and fail to see the good men around us, we may end up appreciating them when they are gone,” she wrote.
Following his demise, the reins of the Bible society were handed to Peter Serumaga—the head of Translations and Publishing.
Mukhama is survived by his wife and four children.
Ms Ruth Mukhama, the widow, described him as generous, very hard working and a man who made many friends.
Good man
“ If we keep seeing only the famous but few bad examples and fail to see the good men around us, we may end up appreciating them when they are gone,” Ms Patricia K. Rutiba, the author of Knights in Kampala
Grief
“I met with Simon at Bugolobi Church of Uganda in the early ‘90s in a youth group called Disciples Youth Fellowship where he served as chairman and myself as music director. He proposed to me around August 1997, and we wedded on May 16, 1998… he was a good husband,” Ms Ruth Mukhama, widow of Mukhama
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