PICTORIAL: Uganda Martyrs’ Day 3rd June,2022

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Kampala, Uganda : A Pictorial of the Uganda Martyrs’ Day Celebrations held 3rd June 2022 at Namugongo at the Catholic shrine, with thousands of guests including Prime Minister of Uganda Robinah Nabbanja, Speaker and the King of Toro Oyo Nyimba Iguru Rukidi IV

Story by URN via The Independent/KMA Updates.

Caption:Uganda’s Prime Minister and Speaker of Parliament Rt.Hon Rt.Hon Anita Among Annet deliver offertories during Celebrations of Uganda Matyrs 2022 at the Catholic Shrine,Namugongo Friday 05 June,2022.Photo by Ronald Kabuubi/KMA Updates.

Uganda’s Prime Minister and Speaker of Parliament Rt.Hon Anita Among Annet deliver offertories during Celebrations of Uganda Matyrs 2022 at the Catholic Shrine,Namugongo Friday 05 June,2022.Photo by Ronald Kabuubi/KMA Updates.

Uganda’s Speaker of Parliament Rt.Hon Anita Among Annet awards A Certificate to the youngest Prigrim this year Brian Kwesiga during Celebrations of Uganda Matyrs 2022 at the Catholic Shrine,Namugongo Friday 05 June,2022. Kwesigwa walked on foot from Fort Portal to Namugongo.Speaker Among said,the young Prigrim’s faith and Sacrifice are an inspiration and encouraged other believers to emulate him.The Speaker’s directive means Kwesigwa will now be Sponsored and his educational needs taken care of by the Speaker.Photo by Ronald Kabuubi/KMA Updates.

The Fort Portal Choir entertains during Celebrations of Uganda Matyrs 2022 at the Catholic Shrine,Namugongo Friday 05 June,2022.Photo by Ronald Kabuubi/KMA Updates.

Holy fathers are seen during Celebrations of Uganda Matyrs 2022 at the Catholic Shrine,Namugongo Friday 05 June,2022.Photo by Ronald Kabuubi/KMA Updates.

Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja today banned the fanfare and noise pollution at Uganda Martyrs’ shrines in Namugongo for hours, during prayer time. Nabbanja, who represented the President as chief guest at the Catholic shrines noted that as she was arriving at the venue, she was disturbed by the madness and noise pollution that was going on yet the Mass was soon starting.

Evoking her powers as Prime Minister, Nabbanja ordered all places generating noise closed immediately to allow prayers at the two sites to go on uninterrupted. On her orders, security ordered all the people who were playing all kinds of music on the side-lines of the main event to switch their equipment.

Before delivering the president’s speech, Nabbanja assured the clergy and congregants that from this year forward, such fanfares will not be allowed when pilgrims are praying.

Overtime, the Uganda martyrs fete, which is a religious event, has the attracted attention of various business operators, who target a multitude of pilgrims that flock to the shrines. For almost the entire week, parallel secular events take place where people go to dine, wine, and party all day and night.

Over the years, the church has severally appealed to the government to prevent such people from showing up at Namugongo noting that they divert the minds of pilgrims and interrupt their prayers. At the catholic shrine, for instance, pilgrims pray for almost every other hour but they are at times interrupted by the noise from the fanfare outside the shrines.

In his speech read by Nabbanja, President, Yoweri Museveni noted that the martyrs show the resistance potential of Ugandans, as the new young converts resisted the ignorance and corruption of Kabaka Mwanga.

He noted that from their resistance, thousands were enlightened and defeated the violence of traditional leaders against the human race. Nevertheless, Museveni noted it is a betrayal of the martyrs to get actors promoting all forms of sectarianism as this doesn’t rhyme with the principle of religion.

Museveni noted that for years the religion has ended up promoting sectarian ideologies manifesting in social contrasts and political grouping, which sow civil wars and mistrust among the new believers. He hastened to add that it’s good to note that different religions have now come together under the Inter-Religious Council of Uganda-IRCU to address common challenges.

To him, religions should desist from promoting sectarian tendencies as they are unchristian and unIslamic which had turned the faith for, which the martyrs died into hypocrisy. President Museveni adds that as the faithful fight against sectarianism, they should also focus on projects that will draw them out of poverty.

At the end of the Mass, the Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among gave out USD 1000 (approximately 3.5 million Shillings) to the youngest and oldest pilgrims at the shrines. This year’s martyr’s day celebration comes after a two-year lull due to the COVID-19 induced lockdown and restrictions.

Fort Portal Diocese, which last animated the martyr’s day celebration 25 years ago led today’s event, under the theme, “Baptized and sent to witness Christ with love and hope”. Uganda’s Martyrs’ day holiday commemorates the late 19th-century martyrdom of 23 Anglican and 22 Catholic men who were put to death on the orders of then-King of Buganda Mwanga II for having converted to Christianity.

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Holy fathers are seen during Celebrations of Uganda Matyrs 2022 at the Catholic Shrine,Namugongo Friday 05 June,2022.Photo by Ronald Kabuubi/KMA Updates.

Nuns deliver offertories Celebrations of Uganda Matyrs 2022 at the Catholic Shrine,Namugongo Friday 05 June,2022.Photo by Ronald Kabuubi/KMA Updates.

The Fort Portal Choir entertains during Celebrations of Uganda Matyrs 2022 at the Catholic Shrine,Namugongo Friday 05 June,2022.Photo by Ronald Kabuubi/KMA Updates.

The Fort Portal Choir entertains during celebrations of Uganda Matyrs 2022 at the Catholic Shrine,Namugongo Friday 05 June,2022.Photo by Ronald Kabuubi/KMA Updates.

The elderly are seen praying during Celebrations of Uganda Matyrs 2022 at the Catholic Shrine,Namugongo Friday 05 June,2022.Photo by Ronald Kabuubi/KMA Updates.

Holy fathers are seen during Celebrations of Uganda Matyrs 2022 at the Catholic Shrine,Namugongo Friday 05 June,2022.Photo by Ronald Kabuubi/KMA Updates.

Prigrims are seen lining up for the lake Water they believe has blessings.This was during Celebrations of Uganda Matyrs 2022 at the Catholic Shrine,Namugongo Friday 05 June,2022.Photo by Ronald Kabuubi/KMA Updates.

Holy fathers are seen during Celebrations of Uganda Matyrs 2022 at the Catholic Shrine,Namugongo Friday 05 June,2022.Photo by Julius Mugaga/KMA Updates.

Uganda’s Prime Minister Rt.Hon.Robinah Nabbanja and Speaker of Parliament Rt.Hon Rt.Hon Anita Among Annet deliver offertories during Celebrations of Uganda Matyrs 2022 at the Catholic Shrine,Namugongo Friday 05 June,2022. Left is the Chief Justice Owiny-Dollo.Photo by Julius Mugaga/KMA Updates.

Uganda’s Prime Minister Rt.Hon Robinah Nabbanja (middle) after delivering offertories to the alter during Celebrations of Uganda Matyrs 2022 at the Catholic Shrine,Namugongo Friday 05 June,2022. Left is the Chief Justice Owiny-Dollo.Photo by Julius Mugaga/KMA Updates.

Toro King Kabamba Iguru,Uganda’s Prime Minister Rt.Hon.Robinah Nabbanja, Speaker of Parliament Rt.Hon Rt.Hon Anita Among Annet and Left is the Chief Justice Owiny-Dollo during Celebrations of Uganda Matyrs 2022 at the Catholic Shrine,Namugongo Friday 05 June,2022. Photo by Julius Mugaga/KMA Updates.

Speaker of Parliament Rt.Hon Rt.Hon Anita Among Annet and the Chief Justice Owiny-Dollo during Celebrations of Uganda Matyrs 2022 at the Catholic Shrine,Namugongo Friday 05 June,2022. Photo by Julius Mugaga/KMA Updates.

Uganda’s Prime Minister Rt.Hon.Robinah Nabbanja makes her remarks during Celebrations of Uganda Matyrs 2022 at the Catholic Shrine,Namugongo Friday 05 June,2022. Photo by Julius Mugaga/KMA Updates.

Speaker of Parliament Rt.Hon Rt.Hon Anita Among Annet being accompanied by Hon.Ruhunda to the Alter during Celebrations of Uganda Matyrs 2022 at the Catholic Shrine,Namugongo Friday 05 June,2022. Photo by Julius Mugaga/KMA Updates.

Toro King Kabamba Iguru is seen going to the Alter during Celebrations of Uganda Matyrs 2022 at the Catholic Shrine,Namugongo Friday 05 June,2022. Photo by Julius Mugaga/KMA Updates.