St. Mary’s Cathedral, Lubaga, is receiving a facelift as it prepares to celebrate 100 years since its consecration.
The centenary celebrations are set for October 26, 2025, with a renovation budget of Shs 2.5 billion. Eng. Pius Mugalasi Mugerwa, chairperson of the renovation committee, said Shs 1 billion has already been allocated to ongoing works aimed at restoring the iconic cathedral.
The upgrades include a new multi-story parking facility, digital signage, and an upgraded front yard with paving and seating. The Virgin Mary statue will be refurbished, while the cathedral fence will be modernized with new gates and a main walkway. Inside, new lighting, a sound system, and reorganized episcopal tombs are being installed to create more space for future archbishops.
Archbishop Paul Ssemogerere welcomed the works but noted that the committee would prioritize what is feasible before the centenary. “We cannot do everything at once,” he said, adding that additional projects will be addressed later.
The cathedral compound will also see renovations to the priests’ offices, the Archbishop’s residence, and a community playground. The priests’ cemetery is being upgraded as part of the plan.
Construction of St. Mary’s Cathedral began in 1914 and it was consecrated on December 31, 1925. The church, which stands on the site of Kabaka Muteesa I’s former palace, is the seventh structure built on Lubaga Hill after six previous churches were destroyed by war, natural disasters, and fire.