By KT Reporter
President Yoweri Museveni has pledged the government’s commitment to developing religious tourism sites in the Busoga sub-region, stating that this will significantly contribute to the overall development of the area. This year’s St. Gonzaga commemoration service kicked off with a Mass led by the Archbishop of the Tororo Archdiocese, The Most Rev. Emmanuel Obbo, which ran throughout the morning hours until Sunday afternoon.
Obbo, who preached peace in a holistic form—from homes to workplaces and political spaces—noted that “this act would further the spreading of the gospel of Jesus Christ, which martyrs like St. Gonzaga laid down their lives for without any hesitation.” Obbo later led the Catholic faithful through the Holy Communion session before proceeding to the event venue where the president was expected as the main celebrant.
Museveni arrived in Kaliro at around 1:30 PM under the watch of his optimistic supporters, who witnessed him land in a presidential jet before he proceeded to a closed meeting with Catholic clerics. He later moved to the St. Gonzaga memorial site at about 2:09 PM, where he planted a tree amid cheers from the crowd. While at the venue, the priests gifted Museveni with a bronze-like rosary, which they helped him wear around his neck.
He was further presented with a Bible, a signature cross, and a portrait of St. Gonzaga as holy gifts for his support towards the activities of the Roman Catholic Church. During his interface with pilgrims at Nakalanga village in Namugongo Sub-county, Kaliro District, Museveni noted that “the heart of sacrifice is part and parcel of the lives of Ugandans. Therefore, remodeling religious tourism sites to meet modern standards rhimes well with the true heart of sacrifice embedded in their everyday today lives.”
Museveni further noted that “just like the martyrs sacrificed their lives for religious emancipation, Uganda has set 09th June as the annual day of commemorating the country’s heroes who lost their lives in the course of agitating for political freedom and both just causes should be celebrated in holistic environments, warranting their unwavering contributions to the country.”
He said the rehabilitation of Busoga sub-region’s three major tourism sites—St. Gonzaga, St. Matia Mulumba, and Bishop Hanington will be included in the national budget for the financial year 2026/2027. Museveni said that “this Namugongo-like refurbishment will foster both local and religious tourism, which is key in the general improvement of the incomes of the people.”
Also speaking at the event, Bulamogi County MP Sanon Bwiire said that “there is an urgent need to upgrade the roads leading to St. Gonzaga site,” which he hopes will attract investment. Bwiire added that “good road networks should be supplemented with both sustainable hydroelectricity power and water supply, which will market the area to willing investors within the hospitality spaces.”
“With these amenities in place,” Bwiire said, “the general incomes of the people hosting Namugongo tourism site will drastically improve and most of them will adapt to the money economy through embracing the little known hospitality industry in the area.” In her remarks, the Deputy Premier, Rebecca Kadaga, said that she has “visited all the religious tourism sites in Busoga sub-region, where expatriate teams have observed untapped potentials, awaiting exploration through meaningful investments.”
Kadaga, however, expressed dismay over the performance of the Ministry of Tourism officials, whom she accused of “failure to list religious sites in Busoga as part of the tourism destination in the country, hence failing their visibility.” She argued that “with government development support, there is a need to aggressively market Busoga’s religious sites, as they equally have the potential of creating jobs for the young people.”
Meanwhile, the Jinja Diocese Bishop, Rt. Rev. Charles Wamika—who was unable to attend the celebrations due to an undisclosed illness—hailed Museveni for “leveraging on church leaders to drive out poverty from the communities.” In a message read by the Chancellor of Jinja Diocese, Rev. Fr. Gerald Muto, Wamika noted that he was “derailed by the high poverty levels in Busoga, despite ongoing economic empowerment programs.”
He stated: “It is not in any way political to team with religious leaders in the fight against poverty. There is nothing wrong with meeting religious leaders to promote wealth creation because we are equally tired of preaching to impoverished followers. Preaching to people on an empty stomach is a waste of time, as they can’t pick anything.”
In response, Museveni pledged 300 million shillings towards the Jinja Diocese priests’ SACCO to invest in development projects that can serve as examples for their followers in the fight against poverty. The event, however, ended on a colorful note with political drama, where a dozen youths clad in yellow T-shirts gifted Museveni with a spear, a shield, and a stool. The seemingly smiling Museveni took the steps of a warrior heading for battle as he held the spear aloft, while his young supporters cheered him on-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
