ST. KIZITO

He was the youngest of all the Uganda Catholic Martyrs who died at the age of 14, having been born around 1872 at Waluleeta, Bulemeezi in Nandere Parish.  His father was Lukomera of the King  Mwanga ‘s palace in 1884 where he served in the king’s private apartment. Kizito was a very good boy in all aspects, smart, witty, intelligent, committed to work, always jolly, friendly, kind, a quick at executing tasks, good at sports mainly swimming and wrestling. He was also good at music, particularly playing the xylophone. All this made him popular with his companions. He was very much loved by the king just as he was much loved by Pere Mapeera. He resisted and was protected from the sexual vices in the palace by Charles Lwanga who baptized him on 26th May 1886, early in the morning of day of judgement at Munyonjo. He was given the name John Baptist. It must be noted that when Charles Lwanga intuited the danger of killing Christians, he asked the children in the palace to go and hide but Kizito refused to go. He stayed with Charles Lwanga ready to die for Jesus Christ.   He was burnt alive at Namugongo together with the others on Thursday, June 3rd, 1886.  His calmness, joy and prayerfulness and ability to strengthen the others during the whole week of persecution and even during the holocaust are very striking. They only come from the spirit of a martyr as a grace given by God. He is the Patron of children particularly those below the age of fifteen.