Tanzania diaspora join compatriots to welcome third cardinal

Tanzanians abroad have joined their compatriots at home, to celebrate the appointment of a third cardinal from the country and to congratulate  Cardinal-elect Protase Rugambwa. He is also the second with the name Rugambwa to become cardinal. The first was Laurean Rugambwa, also the first indigenous African to reach that rank. 

Lydia Donatus Kyai, a Tanzanian living in Switzerland has this to say, "

As someone living Abroad, I would like to express my sincere happiness to the new appointed Cardinal ProtaseRugambwa for we as Christians and society as well, we are being presented by someone who is very close to home and with no doubt I believe he will reshape the future of our society spiritually as well as physically, I am looking forward to his visionary leadership, guidance and as a diaspora, I hope he will foster our culture and values worldwide, as well as to inspire the young generation, who wish to be like him in the future. I would like to extend my warmest congratulations to him and welcome Cardinal protase Rugambwa to this important role my God guide him through"

Sr Angel Rwezahura, a Swahili news reporter at the Vatican Radio, "Protase Rugambwa is being expected by the Church throughout the world to preach the word of God and to be an exemplary prince of the Church". Messages of congratulations came from the Tanzanian diaspora in Europe, North America and Australia and from within the African continent.

The name Rugambwa is a lucky one in the Tanzanian Catholic Church.

The Haya people (and Banyambo), in Kagera Region, Tanzania have a saying which goes that, 'Eibara libi liitanyinalyo'--- literally means, a bad name kills the bearer.

The saying was to caution the community to not name babies bad names, but those names associated with good people whose lives and legacy can l influence the lives, character, and future of children. Rugambwa is such a name.

Pope Francis, named archbishop coadjutor of Tabora Archdiocese in Tanzania, Protase Rugambwa, a Cardinal, 9 July 2023, along with 20 other Cardinals (three from Africa).

Archbishop Laurean Rugambwa, a Tanzanian from Bukoba was the first black African to be named cardinal in 1960. He served as Archbishop of Dar es Salaam from 1968 to 1992. The two Rugambwas are not blood relatives. In fact, there is a third, Archbishop Novatus Rugambwa, who is Vatican’s Apostolic Nuncio (Ambassador) in New Zealand.

Both, the late Cardinal Laurean Rugambwa, and Archbishop Novatus Rugambwa are from Bukoba Diocese, and the Cardinal-elect Protase Rugambwa is from Kayanga-Karagwe Diocese, all in northern Tanzania near Lake Victoria.

Many netizens have asked on social media platforms if the Catholic Church also practices nepotism following the illustrious careers of the three Rugambwas. However, church leaders in Tanzania explained that the appointments are made in Rome and are devoid of local politics.

Cardinal-elect Rugambwa explains, "I was born in 1960 at Bunena, Bukoba Diocese, where my father was working as a health worker, but I am a Mnyambo from Karagwedistrict, adding---the very day when my mother was at hospital snoring in labor pains, it was the very day Cardinal Laurean Rugambwa was arriving in Bukoba after he was installed as cardinal. My maternal uncle, Ambassador Andrew Tibandebage, who was a great friend to Rugambwa, was at bedside with his sister, but on seeing that there was a delay in giving birth, he gave a farewell and ran to receive Cardinal Rugambwa at the airport,’’ he says. 

On his return at the hospital, he found his sister had given birth to me, happily and cheerfully, he called me after Rugambwa saying he has come with all the blessings and wished me to grow up in terms of his dignity and name, Rugambwa. We were told this history by my uncle Tibandebage, who called us family and relatives during the morning of my father’s death to give us words of wisdom.”

What does the name Rugambwa mean and its impact

Bishop Methodius Kilaini, in charge of Bukoba Diocese, explains that the name Rugambwa  ‘People will always discuss your character positively.” He adds that ‘ name has brought praises to Roman Catholic Church in Kagera and beyond we have three Rugambwas in the high ranksof the Church.

Cardinality is a religious rank that was established in the 11th century. Before that popes were elected by priests of Roma, but sometimes the procedures were not so spiritually neat until when came Pope Callistus 1 when he announced Cardinals would be the ones to elect the pope, said Bishop Kilaini, adding that papal conclave elect Bishop of Rome who is a pope, and are his principal councilors, also aiding him in Catholic Church throughout the world. 

"We are happy Tanzania has produced three cardinals, the late Laurean Rugambwa, Cardinal Polycarp Pengo, a Metropolitan Archbishop, Emeritus of Dar es Salaam, and this Protase Rugambwa. It is for God's grace that Tanzania now boasts of two cardinals, who can elect the pope as they are below 80 years of age. Uganda had only one Cardinal, Emmanuel Wamala  who is over 80, but no other Cardinal was ever named in the country ", said Bishop Kilaini.

He was ordained priest on 2 September 1990 in Dar-es-Salaam by Pope John Paul II during his pastoral visit to Tanzania. In 2008 Pope Benedict XVI appointed Rugambwa Bishop of Kigoma Diocese. On 09 July 2023, Pope Francis named him the cardinal.