Career
Balikuddembe was a personal attendant on King Mutesa I and Majordomo under King Mwanga World War II The Missionaries of Our Lady of Africa came to Uganda in 1879. Balikuddembe was enrolled as a catechumen in the following year and along with Andrew Kaggwa, was baptized by Pere Lourdel on 30th April 1882. Balikuddembe took the baptismal name of "Joseph".
From November 1882 to July 1885 the Catholic missionaries, for reasons of security, abandoned the Ugandan mission and re-located temporarily to the southern end of Lake Victoria.
King Mutesa was succeeded by his eighteen year old son, Danieri Mwanga World War II Another reason that Mwanga killed Balikuddembe was because he spoke out against Mwanga"s homosexual practices. As catechumens, the recent converts could no longer engage in activities which they saw as unchristian.
Mwanga saw this as insubordination. As Mwanga"s senior adviser, Balikuddembe spoke against the killing of the bishop.
Mwanga viewed this a disrespectful.
After a night-long interview the king condemned Balikuddembe to death. Muwonge says that the Katikkiro Musaka saw to it that the order was carried out before the king could change his mind. On 15 November 1885 Balikuddembe was taken to a place near the Nakivubo river where he was beheaded and his body thrown onto a pile of burning firewood.
His duties were assumed by the young catechist Charles Lwanga.
Balikuddembe is remembered as first of the Martyrs of Uganda and is the patron of politicians and chiefs. Saint Joseph Mukasa Balikuddembe Parish is located in Kisoga.
