Thousands walk to honour martyrs

Monday, 2nd June, 2008
Pilgrims pray at the Protestant shrine at Namugongo ahead of the martyrs Day celebrations today

By Anne Mugisa, Juliet Waiswa and Juliet Lukwago

THOUSANDS of pilgrims, some of whom have walked for weeks, converge at Namugongo today to celebrate the Uganda Martyrs Day.

Believers from Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, Rwanda, the DR Congo, South Africa and Europe will remember the courage of the 45 Christians who were executed on the orders of Kabaka Mwanga on June 3, 1886.

The young men stood by their faith despite Mwanga’s order to renounce Christianity between 1885 and 1887.

"Mwanga was angered that the converts put Christ above the king."

Instead of cringing from death, the martyrs sang hymns and prayed for their tormentors, who were headed by Mukaajanga.

A total of 45 faithful were either burned or castrated and dismembered as the Kabaka fought to assert absolute power over the kingdom.

Twenty-three of them were Anglican and 22 Catholic believers.

However, in 2002, Pope John Paul II beatified two other young Catholic boys, Daudi Okello, 16, and Jildo Irwa, 18, who were speared to death in Paimol, Gulu, in 1918 for teaching the Ten Commandments.

The earlier martyrs were mainly pages at Mwanga’s palace at Mengo and were drawn from Buganda, Bunyoro, Busoga and Toro.

The martyrdom led to an explosion of Christianity throughout Uganda, according to a web site for the celebrations.

The web site added that before the Namugongo gruesome executions, Christianity had been taught to a few, mostly members of Mwanga’s predecessor Kabaka Mutesa’s court.

As this year’s celebrations proceed, the Police have set up a post at Namugongo Catholic shrine.

Spokesperson Judith Nabakooba said any crime should be reported to the Police post.

The Police particularly warned visitors to watch out for pick-pockets and rapists.

The Police have also issued a traffic flow guide for the pilgrims.

Vehicles will access the shrines from both Kireka trading centre and Bweyogerere.

To reach the Catholic shrine, a visitor must take the Kireka-Kyaliwajjala route and turn to the right at the Kyaliwajjala Police post.

VIPs will also take the same route but turn right at the Kyaliwajjala trading centre.

Pilgrims to the Protestant shrine are advised to go through Bweyogerere trading centre and turn right at Naalya-Seeta road junction.

However, those intending to go to the Catholic shrine through this access should turn left at this point.