Bishop Andrew Jonathan Mukuyamba was born on the 22nd of May 1953 in Mufulira, where he spent his childhood and youth.
His parents were Chewa, and his father was a miner at the Kansanshi mine. They came originally from the island of Likoma, which is in the north-eastern part of Lake Malawi and is the site of one of the earliest Anglican mission stations in central Africa, founded in 1885, where the beautiful and impressive St Peter’s cathedral can be found. Given this long association with the Church of England, the inhabitants of Likoma island are extremely proud of their Anglican roots. His parents were devout Christians, starting every day with family prayers.
Prospects would have been limited on the island and Andrew’s parents moved to the copper mining town of Mufulira in Northern Rhodesia, where Andrew was born. Mufulira is a Bemba area and so Andrew spoke three languages fluently: Chewa, Bemba, and English. He was an industrious student and obtained excellent grades throughout his school years.
Andrew was baptized in his family church of St Cyprian’s by Fr Adams and confirmed in 1965 by archbishop Oliver Green Wilkinson. He was as an altar server and chairperson for the church club.
In later years when encouraging his flock to celebrate the church patronal festival he would recall taking part as a soldier in a play celebrating the life of St Cyprian. He said that his participation in that play taught him to appreciate the lives and sacrifices of the saints that had gone before him and that this inspired him to try and follow their good examples.
After completing high school, he went to work for Zambia Broadcasting Services in 1973 as a maintenance engineer, then continued studying electronic technology at Zambia Institute of Technology and obtained his Diploma in 1976.
It was while studying at ZIT that he met Prudence Musaba, a junior student in the same facility which would lead to Andrew and Prudence being married on the 30th of June 1979 in the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Lusaka.
It was in November 1985, while participating as an active member of St Andrew’s Anglican church in Livingstone, that Andrew heard the call to full time ministry. Three years of seminary training at St John’s Anglican seminary followed, resulting in a diploma from the college in 1989.
He was made a deacon in September 1989 at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross Lusaka and ordained priest in 1990, working under Dean Pierre Dil.
By January 1991 Fr Andrew was overseeing ten congregations. He served as the Girls’ Brigade Chaplain from 1990 to 1997 and was appointed diocesan tutor at the cathedral theology school from 1994 to 1996. Sponsored by the Anglican Cathedral, Fr Andrew received a Master of Arts Degree in Mission Studies from Birmingham University, England, in 1995.
Father Andrew never stopped studying: he received certificates in Leadership Training, Church growth, Praise and Worship, Church Administration, Church Planting and Scripture Distribution, amongst others.
Fr Andrew was regional tutor for Theology Education and served as secretary for the Christian Broadcaster Association (radio and television) from 1994 to 1996, besides being Chairman for the Zambia Institute for Church growth from 1992 to 1998.
Fr Andrew also served as Vicar General of the Continuing Anglican Communion in Zambia (CACZ) from 2005 to 2015, leading to his appointment as Bishop of the CACZ Diocese of Zambia in October 2015, until his untimely death on the 24th of June 2021, from Covid. The CACZ remembers Bishop Andrew in this linked article. http://traditionalanglicanchurch.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/AD-CLERUM-4.21.pdf
It is obvious from all his appointments that he was born to be a leader. Coupled with his vibrant faith and love for his Lord he worked tirelessly for the Church and for Makeni Ecumenical Centre. He was a gentle man with a big loving heart, adored by his wife, children and eight grandchildren, Jonathan, Joana, Elizabeth, Emmanuel, John, Andrew, Faith and Michael. He is lovingly remembered by his grateful flock and sadly missed by all who knew him. May his beloved soul rest in peace.
