James Hannington was an English Anglican priest and missionary who served as the first bishop of Eastern Equatorial Africa. Born in Sussex in 1847, he dedicated his life to clerical work and missionary efforts in East Africa. While working in the region, he also acted as a botanical collector. He was killed in Busoga in 1885 after being imprisoned by order of the Kabaka of Buganda, Mwanga II. He is recognized as a martyr for his faith.