Matiya Mulumba, also known as Matthias Murumba Kalemba (1836 – May 30th, 1886), was a Ugandan Catholic and one of the Martyrs of Uganda. He was killed on or around May 30th, 1886 in his 50s. He, among the other martyrs, underwent the most excruciating suffering, as he was skinned alive and left to die.
In 1920, Pope Benedict XV beatified Mulumba, and on October 18th, 1964, he was canonized by Pope Paul VI.
Early life and conversion to Catholicism Matiya was born in Bunya county in Busoga. He was adopted by Fr. Magatto, and after Magatto's death, he stayed with Magatto's brother, Buzibwa. He first converted to Islam but later became a Catholic catechumen on the May 31st, 1880. He was baptized by Pere Ludovic Girault at his home in Mityana.
While building Kabaka Mwanga's palace, which had been destroyed by fire on February 22nd, 1886, Mulumba, together with Charles Lwanga, Lukka Baanabakintu and Mukwenda, was arrested, imprisoned and condemned to death by Mukasa, the Prime Minister (Katikiro) of Buganda by then. Mulumba was taken to Old Kampala, where he was burnt alive. while Lwanga was taken to Namugongo.
References
External links Saint Matiya Mulumba at Patron Saints Index The Uganda Martyrs from the August 2008 issue of The Word Among Us magazine Matiya Mulumba's profile from UgandaMartyrsShrine.org Matiya Mulumba's profile from Dictionary of African Christian Biography