The Rev Cano Gideon Byamugisha was born on 29th August 1959 in Buranga-Ndorwa, Kabale District, Western Uganda. He holds an honours degree in Education, Makerere University, Kampala 1985 and a first class degree on theology [ATIEA], Nairobi, 1991.

He was ordained deacon in 1991 and priested the following year [1992] at Emmanuel Cathedral, Kinyasano. He then lectured in Systematic Theology and Philosophy of Religious in the National Anglican Theological College, Mukono [Former Bishop Tucker Theological College and now Uganda Christian University] before joining the church of Uganda Provincial AIDS Programme [CHUSA] as trainer in 1994. He was later seconded to the Diocese of Namirembe where he headed an HIV/AIDS project that attracted National and International recognition as a cost-effective and sustainable model for church based HIV/AIDS interventions in the Great Lakes Region. Rev Canon Gideon now serves World Vision International as the Church/FBO Partnerships Advisor, HIV/AIDS Hope Initiative.

The Rev Canon Gideon Byamugisha earned National and International respect when he in 1992 became the first practicing priest [in both Catholic and Protestant Christian Traditions] on the continent to publicly declare he was living with the fatal virus that causes AIDS. He has since then continued to accept invitations to speak to many couples, youth families, local communities and churches across the globe to face the reality to the epidemic with the objectivity, truthfulness and hope.

The Rev Canon Gideon Byamugisha is the founder member of the National Guidance and Empowerment Network of people living with HIV/AIDS [NGEN+]; Member, National Ethics Committee on Vaccine Trials [MOH]; Member, Core Group National Task Force [CG11] on developing the National Strategic Framework for HIV/AIDS Activities in Uganda 1998-2002 [UAC]; Board Member, Uganda AIDS Commission where he leads HIV/AIDS subcommittees on Advocacy; Board Member, National Community of Women Living with HIV/AIDS [NACWOLA] and Board Member, AIDS NGOs’ Network in EASTERN AFRICA.