Ambassadors of Christ Choir (AOCC) music director, songwriter and solo gospel artist, Mwalimu Ssozi Joram, is set to host a maiden concert on September 7 at the Kampala Serena Hotel.
The concert themed ‘This Far by Grace’, will celebrate the grace of God throughout Mwalimu Ssozi’s 37-year journey in the gospel music industry.
Mwalimu Ssozi who joined the Ambassadors of Christ Choir in 1997 has served as its song composer, vocal trainer and overall music director. He is arguably one of the most renowned gospel music groups in Rwanda and the East and Central African region.
He is also the creative force behind many, if not all, the choir’s most beloved songs, including Ibyo Unyuramo, Imirindi y’Uwiteka, Nimekupata Yesu, and Yesu ni Inzira, among many others that continue to touch and inspire listeners today.
At the concert, he will be performing in collaboration with the Ambassadors of Christ Choir and other choirs from Kenya and Uganda.
Overtime, Mwalimu Ssozi’s arrival at the choir marked a turning point as he began composing powerful and spiritual uplifting music that has since become a staple in praise and worship across various churches.
Commenting about the show during a media briefing, Mwalimu Ssozi said ‘This Far by Grace’ is more than just a concert- it’s gratitude and reflection.
“It’s a shame when people don’t recognize the wonders of God in their lives. I never imagined reaching where I am today. That is why I’m grateful. I did not plan my ministry, God made a way.”
He revealed that his journey to Rwanda was never part of his plan but he hatched the plan after meeting a colleague, one of the founding members of Ambassadors of Christ, who encouraged him to come and train the group.
He said when he went to Rwanda, God surprised him in unimaginable ways. He did not know the Kinyarwanda language and it took him a year and a half to become fluent.
He fondly recalls learning the language from a four-year old child in the home where he stayed. “Despite my limited vocabulary, I had to communicate with the child, and she would correct me. Over time, I became fluent.”
Mwalimu emphasized that his achievements are not due to personal ability but purely by God’s grace. Beyond his contributions to the choir, he has also released 12 solo songs, including the widely loved Amahirwe ya Kabiri.
In Rwanda, he was affectionately nicknamed ‘Mwalimu’, meaning ‘a teacher’ in recognition of his music training role. Interestingly, he noted that in Uganda, the name ‘Mwalimu’ is typically reserved for Muslims, but in Rwanda, he fully embraced it.
Mwalimu Ssozi hopes his upcoming concert will not only mark his journey but also serve as a reminder for everyone to reflect on their personal experiences of God’s grace.
The event will be graced by music groups from Uganda and Kenya, including Golden Gates choir, Hebrews choir, Heavenly Gates choir, Vision choir among others.
This event will be a step towards establishment of a Mwalimu Ssozi Music Foundation whose objective is to train up young people to love gospel music and to unleash their talents in gospel oriented music following the good example of Mwalimu Ssozi Joram.
For nearly three decades, Ambassadors of Christ choir has had a tremendous spiritual impact, attracting a strong following. The choir is currently grateful for almost 1.5 million YouTube subscribers and attracts over 1.5 million weekly viewers on all its platforms.
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