Doctor Charles Kiyaga was born on November 21, 1970, in Maddu, Gomba, Uganda. His family later relocated to Kyabazala Mukono due to political persecution that arose out of the 1966 political crisis.
In 1983 at the age of 13 years, Charles Kiyaga made a life-changing decision to accept Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. However, this decision was met with resistance from his family, who practiced traditional worship (Lubaale). As a result, Doctor Charles Kiyaga was chased from home, and disowned by the family, forcing him to begin fending for himself at a tender age.
He was banished from in 1984 during his Primary seven vacation, and he moved to Mukono town, where he joined a team that made paper bags to earn money to support his studies. When his Primary Seven results came, he had passed and he joined Mukono Bishops Secondary School for his ordinary-level education.
He finished his ordinary level education from Lubiri SS and later attended Ndejje SS for his Advanced Level education to complete his S6. To raise school fees for his studies, Doctor Charles Kiyaga worked at a washing bay every evening while at Lubiri SS, and during the holidays while at Ndejje SS, demonstrating his determination to succeed.
After completing his Advanced Level education, Doctor Charles Kiyaga joined Makerere University, where he earned a degree in Laboratory Medicine. He began his career in public health programming at the Ministry of Health’s Aids Control Program.
Doctor Charles Kiyaga’s academic pursuits continued with a scholarship to study for a Bachelor’s degree in Public Health at the University of Manchester UK. He then pursued a Master’s degree in Laboratory Science from Makerere University.
He later earned a Master’s Philosophy in Medical Science from Cambridge University UK, and made notable publications in his public health work. The London School recognized his contribution to public health and his publications and awarded him a Doctorate in Public Health. He later did his PhD from Open University UK.
One of the highlights of Doctor Charles Kiyaga’s career was the transformation of the diagnostic network in Uganda through innovating the cutting edge sample transport network, which is well known for. This led the regional stakeholders to develop a project funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, targeting Doctor Kiyaga to support other countries in Africa to develop resilient laboratory systems.
In 2005, Doctor Charles Kiyaga married Pastor Jessica Kiyaga, and they have been blessed with eight children, four girls, and four boys.
Spiritual Life
Ever since he was banished away by the family Charles Kiyaga developed a close relation with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, however his spiritual journey took a dimension when he read “The Pursuit of God” by A.W. Tozer in his youth. Inspired by the book, he started pursuing God at a personal level, and later became passionate about sharing his experience with others.
By 1996, Doctor Charles Kiyaga was the youth pastor at Eden Revival Church in Wandegeya. In 1998, Pastor Charles Kiyaga begun organizing and annual national youth conference call FIRE Conference. The theme of the conference in 2001 was the Pursuit of God based in Psalms 63:8. During this conference, God moved amazingly and at the end of that conference, God spoke to pastor Charles to start a network of God Seekers, which he later named the Pursuers Network.
This scripture became the foundation of the Pursuit of God movement, which aimed to encourage believers to seek a deeper relationship with God. This movement began with Doctor Charles Kiyaga and his team holding monthly prayer meetings in different churches in and around Kampala, mobilizing youths to pursue hard after God. Later the network started organized annual conferences at Seguku Prayer Mountain for about five years following. We later rented a home in Mpererwe, which became the pursuers’ home where we conducted all our prayer meetings including the conference for about 9 years.
In 2007, through God’s provision, Doctor Charles Kiyaga acquired land in Mpigi, from which he later dedicated 50 acres to the cause of seeking after God, which he named Zion Pursuers’ Prayer Mountain. The name was revealed to him by God from Obadiah 1:17, after fasting and praying for seven days.
The scripture (Obadiah 1:17, NKJV) which says; “But on Mount Zion there shall be deliverance, and holiness; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions.” This scripture became a prophetic vision for the prayer mountain, symbolizing a place of deliverance, holiness, and possession of God’s promises.
Today, Zion Prayer Mountain stands as a testament to Doctor Charles Kiyaga’s obedience to God’s call, serving as a place of seeking God, holiness, and deliverance. The Pursuit of God movement continues to inspire believers to seek a deeper relationship with God, and Doctor Charles Kiyaga remains a passionate advocate for spiritual growth and development.
