Blasio Kigozi (d. 1936)

Blasio Kigozi was an African revival leader in Uganda during years when the gospel was stirring hearts across the region. He became known for a plain, searching message: wake from spiritual sleep, turn from sin, and walk in the light through honest confession. Those who heard him speak remembered not polished rhetoric but a steady insistence that Christ gives real new life, not merely religious form.

His courage was often quiet rather than dramatic—calling people to name their sins, make wrongs right, and live with integrity when hypocrisy would have been easier. In a culture where public reputation could hide private compromise, Kigozi urged believers to fear God more than man, trusting that humility before the Lord leads to joy.

Kampala and a Sudden Death

Kigozi died in Kampala on January 26, 1936, from tick fever. The loss was felt sharply because his ministry was still unfolding. Kampala, a growing urban center in Buganda and a crossroads for the church, carried news of his death quickly. Yet the abruptness of his passing only underlined the urgency he preached: life is brief, and the call to repent and believe is not safely postponed.

“Zukuka” (“Awaken”)

The word chosen for his tombstone—“zukuka,” meaning “awaken”—served as a final sermon. It echoed the biblical call: “Wake up, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” (Ephesians 5:14). Even in death, the inscription pressed the living to respond: God is not seeking spiritual drowsiness but alert faith, clean hands, and a ready conscience.

Voice that Still Speaks

Kigozi’s legacy is less a set of writings than a pattern of life: repentance that is specific, confession that is truthful, and faith that rests on Christ rather than self-improvement. His message harmonizes with the apostolic appeal: “Repent, then, and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped away.” (Acts 3:19). “Zukuka” remains a summons to rise, repent, and live boldly in the power of the risen Lord.