18/10/2026
NOT A POLITICAL RALLY. NOT A CAMPAIGN. JUST A COMMUNITY UNITED BY THE LIFE OF A MAN WHO SERVED GOD AND LOVED PEOPLE.
KOBOKO TURNS OUT IN NUMBERS TO HONOUR THE LATE REV. CAN. PETER YOBUTA
KOBOKO DISTRICT, UGANDA — What brings people of different faiths, backgrounds, and convictions into the streets, walking side by side, united by a common purpose? This evening in Koboko, the answer was a man whose life and ministry left a mark on the community: the late Rev. Can. Peter Yobuta.
Christians, Muslims, religious leaders, and members of the wider community turned out in remarkable numbers to receive and accompany the remains of the late cleric on his final journey through Koboko town.
The body was received from Ombaci and taken to St. Philip’s Canaan Church, where a brief prayer was held before the procession began at approximately 4:00–4:15 p.m.
At the main roundabout along the road leading towards Arua and Yumbe, mourners were welcomed by a brass band, members of the Mothers’ Union, and a large gathering representing different churches and community groups across Koboko District.
From there, the procession moved through Amule Ero Junction towards St. Mark Church of Uganda, Nyarilo, accompanied by music, prayers, and an extraordinary outpouring of public solidarity. Along the route, crowds gathered to pay their final respects to a man whose ministry extended beyond the pulpit and into the lives of the people he served.
Perhaps the most striking image from this evening was not the size of the crowd, but what the crowd represented. In a world where differences in faith, opinion, and social standing can easily divide communities, Koboko witnessed a moment when those differences gave way to a shared expression of respect, grief, and gratitude.
Rev. Can. Yobuta served in ordained ministry for more than two decades in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, with pastoral missions to South Sudan. His ministry included service in various parishes within Koboko and Keri archdeaconries under the Diocese of Madi-West Nile. He was particularly associated with St. Mark Church of Uganda, Nyarilo, where he served for much of his ministry.
Upon arrival at St. Mark Church, prayers continued as clergy, Christians, and other mourners gathered to honour his memory. His final journey through the town became more than a funeral procession; it was a powerful reflection of the connections a life of service can build across a community.
Perhaps this is one of the greatest measures of a life well lived: not how many people stand with you when you are powerful, but how many come together to honour the life you lived when you are gone.
As Koboko prepares to lay Rev. Can. Peter Yobuta to rest, his passing leaves the community with a profound reminder of the power of faith, service, and human connection.
May God comfort his family, the Diocese of Madi-West Nile, the clergy, and all who mourn his passing.
May his soul rest in eternal peace.
