Pastor Tom Mugerwa — also known as Pastor Tom Balaba Mugerwa — is a Ugandan pastor, author and businessman, best known as the founder of Mutundwe Christian Fellowship (MCF), a fast-growing ministry based in Kampala’s Rubaga Division.
He’s a man whose life journey has been anything but ordinary. Before he became a household name in Uganda’s Pentecostal circles, Pastor Mugerwa was living in London as a migrant worker. That’s where, according to him, the first call came — not from a pulpit or a crowd, but from God. The message was clear: go back home and build a spiritual army.
At the time, he hesitated. Things weren’t working out abroad, and his health began to fail. But once he surrendered to what he believed was God’s plan, he returned to Uganda and stepped into a role that would eventually touch thousands of lives.
Back home, his wife Justine had already started something small — Friday prayer meetings at their house in Mutundwe. That humble gathering of just six people quickly outgrew the space. First, it spilled out into a papyrus shelter in the compound. Then came a wooden structure. By 2002, a full church building was up — and Mutundwe Christian Fellowship was born.
Today, the ministry isn’t just a place of worship. It’s a full-fledged Christian movement. Pastor Mugerwa’s work centres on deliverance — breaking spiritual bondages and lifting curses, a message that has resonated with many across Uganda and beyond.
He and his wife, now both pastors, have also built a media arm to spread their message. MCF Radio 98.7 FM, launched in 2016, is one of the ministry’s key platforms. The station broadcasts mostly in Luganda but includes English programming. It now airs across Kampala, Fort Portal, Iganga and Masaka. They also run Eternal Life TV, a Christian channel available on free-to-air decoders, reaching audiences across Uganda and in the diaspora.
The radio’s programming blends biblical teaching, gospel music, and community-based education — aiming to speak to both the spirit and everyday life.
A Tragedy at Year’s End
But Pastor Mugerwa’s ministry hasn’t been without painful moments.
At the close of 2023, at least 15 people suffocated to death in a stampede during one of his most attended events — an end-of-year overnight prayer gathering held at Wankulukuku playground in Rubaga Division.
According to a message circulated by Katwe Police Division Commander David Kamugira to regional police heads, the chaos unfolded after crowds overwhelmed the venue, which had already filled to capacity by 2 p.m. Organisers decided to close the gates. But around 9 p.m., a preacher — who remains unidentified — reportedly told the crowd that more space was available inside.
That announcement triggered a surge at the entrance as people scrambled to get in. Police say the stampede mainly affected women. Eight were rushed to nearby hospitals in Kitebi and Rubaga, while others tragically lost their lives on site. Conflicting reports at the time placed the number of dead between five and ten before police confirmed at least 15 fatalities.
The incident cast a sombre shadow over an event meant to usher in the new year with prayer and hope.
Early Life and Family
Pastor Mugerwa was born on 17 January 1961 in Uganda. He grew up in a large blended family. His mother, Evelyn Olive Kiwanuka Katimbo, passed away in 2023 at the age of 104. She had 14 children from two marriages — seven with her first husband in Masaka and another seven with Pastor Mugerwa’s father, the late Kiwankuka.
He married Justine Mugerwa on 24 June 1989, and together they’ve raised several children. In September 2020, they lost their daughter, Pastor Rebecca Kaddu, to COVID-19. She had been leading a ministry of her own — Water of Life Ministries in Kyengera. Among their surviving children are Solomon Balaba and Florence Namugerwa.
Net Worth
There’s been speculation online about Pastor Mugerwa’s wealth, with some sources estimating his net worth at around $125,000 as of July 2025. However, there’s no official confirmation from trusted sources like Forbes or Celebrity Net Worth.
