The Catholic community at Jinja Remand Prison has paid heartfelt tribute to Msgr. Christopher Isiko, who was laid to rest at Walukuba Parish Cemetery in Jinja City.

Msgr. Isiko, who passed away at the age of 92, was the oldest serving priest in the Jinja Diocese. He devoted nearly three decades of his life (27 years) as the chaplain of Kirinya Prison, forging a deep connection with inmates. Both current and former prisoners shared touching testimonies of his unwavering support and compassion.

His funeral on drew mourners from various backgrounds, all united in honoring a man they described as joyful, humble, and wholly committed to serving God and humanity.

Ordained in 1963, Isiko began his ministry in the modern-day Kampala Archdiocese, with his first assignment at Bina Parish. It was there that he began ministering to death row inmates, walking with them in their final hours. He often witnessed their confessions, listened as they expressed remorse for their actions, and observed sincere repentance toward their victims.

Even after execution, Isiko remained with the prisoners, offering anointing prayers over their lifeless bodies. These experiences deeply moved him and inspired a lifelong bond with the incarcerated. This led him to initiate fellowships across multiple prisons throughout Uganda.

After serving as Vicar General of the Jinja Diocese from 1978 to 1998, Isiko requested a new role, chaplaincy at Kirinya Prison. His request was granted by then-Bishop Rev. Fr. Joseph Willigers.

Together with seminarians and fellow priests, Isiko not only preached the gospel but also provided free counseling services to inmates in need. He encouraged them to write letters of apology to their families and victims, helping them to unburden their guilt and begin the journey toward healing and forgiveness.

His powerful teachings inspired many inmates to embrace plea bargains. As a result, numerous prisoners received reduced sentences, some of which have already been served. His ministry of reconciliation touched both prisoners and prison staff, who began attending the fellowship in large numbers.

A letter signed by Martin Kamukama, Chairperson of the Catholic Inmates' Community at Jinja Remand Prison, expressed the deep sorrow felt by prisoners over Isiko’s passing.

"Unfortunately, we have lost a close friend, father and leader, who has been with us for a long time serving the Catholic community of remand prisons," the letter reads in part.

Kamukama described Isiko as a faithful companion who never failed to show up for them. He added that the priest's spiritual mentorship transformed many lives, offering inmates the strength to face their sentences with hope and a desire for change.

He praised Isiko for his honest and compassionate approach, saying he had been like a parent who always found the right words in difficult times.

"We have been with him and we have learned a lot through his experience as a leader and friend. He could come and advise us as a parent whenever we lost hope. He truly instilled discipline in Jinja remand prisons, even while aged, he still made it to serve his God through offering charismatic classes, where many were baptized and confirmed to the fellowship," the letter continues.

Kamukama said the prisoners now feel like orphans. Isiko had become their beacon of hope, and his encouraging words often brought smiles to their faces.

"We are now left as orphans in spirit without his words of hope and encouragement, the gap created by his death is unbearable, and we ask the Bishop to help us get another servant of God to serve Kirinya Prison Catholic community, especially we, the prisoners,” the letter concludes.

Fr. Dennis Ngobi, parish priest of Walukuba, shared how Isiko was affectionately known as “the convict outside prisons” due to his unwavering dedication to inmates.

Ngobi recalled how, even in his old age, Isiko maintained a banana plantation and a vegetable garden, using all proceeds to improve the diets of sick prisoners. He also lobbied the Bishop for monthly supplies of silverfish to supplement the monotonous prison meals of posho and beans.

Ngobi emphasized that Isiko's selflessness won him a large family of both ex-convicts and inmates, who remained part of his life until the end.

To those who knew him, Isiko was not just a priest—he was a counselor, friend, and spiritual father. Ngobi noted that many ex-prisoners stayed in touch with Isiko through visits and phone calls, celebrating the transformations he had helped bring about in their lives. This joy and sense of fulfillment kept Isiko motivated in his advanced age.

Isiko’s elder brother, Eliphaz Nabongo, 95, expressed gratitude to the Jinja Diocese for supporting Isiko’s prison ministry. He said it gave his brother a level of joy and peace that even family alone could not provide.

Referencing Genesis 12:1-3, Nabongo likened Isiko’s legacy to that of Abraham, who, despite not having biological children at first, was promised a multitude of descendants. He said Isiko had become a spiritual father to thousands through his work with inmates across Uganda.

During the final months of his life, as Isiko lay bedridden, one concern dominated his thoughts: whether priests and seminarians were still visiting Kirinya Prison, and whether the inmates could continue to hold Mass. This, Nabongo said, was proof that Isiko's heart remained firmly tied to the prison ministry until the very end.

“He truly finished well,” Nabongo said, crediting the Jinja Diocese for standing by Isiko throughout his mission.