Some believers, from the Catholic and Anglican Churches, were seen at the Martyrs’ shrine in Namugongo, even after the national event was called off due to the outbreak of the Bundibugyo Ebola virus. On Tuesday afternoon, Uganda Radio Network found some pilgrims arriving at the sacred sites after days of walking. They seemed unaware of the full implications of the government’s restrictions on the annual national pilgrimage.
At the Uganda Martyrs Catholic Shrine, security personnel and shrine officials allowed the pilgrims to access, pray, attend Mass, and tour the grounds before advising them to return home to avoid unnecessary gatherings. Among those who completed the journey was 20-year-old Senior Six vacationist Resta Mbwali from Amuria District. Mbwali said she had spent three days walking to Namugongo and that it was her first visit to the shrine.
She expressed excitement upon reaching the holy site, taking time to pray, attend Mass, and visit various sections of the shrine. Mbwali said she only learned about the cancellation of the national pilgrimage after arriving and planned to begin her return journey immediately after prayers.
URN also observed several elderly women who had travelled on foot being gently advised by officials to return to their homes after offering their prayers. Security personnel said they had noticed pilgrims arriving with luggage but explained that they could not completely deny them access to the holy site. Instead, they allowed them to pray before strongly encouraging them to return home.
Rev. Fr. Vincent Lubega, the Parish Priest and Rector of the Uganda Martyrs Shrine Namugongo, said shrine authorities have been counselling many pilgrims who continue to arrive despite repeated public announcements.
This year’s Martyrs Day celebrations were decentralized following government directives aimed at preventing the spread of Ebola. Pilgrims were advised to mark the day from their respective dioceses and parishes instead of travelling to Namugongo. At the Anglican Martyrs Site in Nakiyanja, the situation was similar, although access controls appeared stricter.
URN found a retired priest who declined to reveal his identity after trekking from Ankole to attend the June 3 celebrations. Rev. Canon Michael Wasswa Ssentamu, the Archdeacon of Namugongo, expressed surprise that some pilgrims had still travelled to Namugongo despite widespread communication about the restrictions.
He added that they have advised those who arrive to report to the police officers at the main gate to assess them and determine the appropriate course of action. By the time our reporter left the Anglican site, access had been restricted to accredited service providers, journalists, security personnel, and a limited number of guests. Gates remained closed to the general public.
Unlike the Catholic shrine, which remained open to worshippers under strict health precautions, the Anglican site appeared more restrictive as preparations for Wednesday’s commemorations entered the final stages. At the shrine, small groups of pilgrims move quietly across the grounds while others take part in private Masses at selected locations around the Minor Basilica. The usual crowds are absent, replaced by controlled movements of visitors guided by clergy and shrine officials.
One of the visitors is Rev. Fr. Joshua West from North Carolina, United States. He was found by our reporter leading a Mass at one of the grottos a few metres from the Basilica.
Fr. West said he boarded his flight on the same day authorities announced the Ebola outbreak in Uganda and the cancellation of the national pilgrimage. He noted that many people who had planned to travel cancelled their trips, a decision he described as unfortunate. He travelled with family members, including his mother, nieces, and nephews. They were coming to visit the Masaka Diocese.
He said he initially had no plan to visit Namugongo because of the large crowds that usually gather for Martyrs’ Day. After learning that this year’s numbers would be low, his group decided to proceed with the pilgrimage to honour the Uganda Martyrs, a devotion he said he deeply values.
Fr. West described the experience as peaceful and meaningful. He said the group celebrated Mass with a few other pilgrims present and welcomed the quiet setting. “It was an unimaginable experience,” he said.
Nearby, our reporter encountered another group of slightly more than 20 pilgrims from Polokwane Diocese in Limpopo Province, South Africa. The group had organised the trip months earlier and arrived wearing matching T-shirts with symbols of the Basilica and the Uganda Martyrs.
One of the group leaders, Mapula Mathebula, said news of the Ebola scare reached them at short notice, making cancellation difficult. She said the group appreciated the visit but missed the large crowds that usually define the annual pilgrimage.
At the Uganda Martyrs Catholic Shrine, security personnel and shrine officials allowed the pilgrims to access, pray, attend Mass, and tour the grounds before advising them to return home to avoid unnecessary gatherings.
URN also observed several elderly women who had travelled on foot being gently advised by officials to return to their homes after offering their prayers. Security personnel said they had noticed pilgrims arriving with luggage but explained that they could not completely deny them access to the holy site. Instead, they allowed them to pray before strongly encouraging them to return home.
Rev. Fr. Vincent Lubega, the Parish Priest and Rector of the Uganda Martyrs Shrine Namugongo, said shrine authorities have been counselling many pilgrims who continue to arrive despite repeated public announcements.
This year’s Martyrs Day celebrations were decentralized following government directives aimed at preventing the spread of Ebola. Pilgrims were advised to mark the day from their respective dioceses and parishes instead of travelling to Namugongo.
At the Anglican Martyrs Site in Nakiyanja, the situation was similar, although access controls appeared stricter. Our reporter found a retired priest who declined to reveal his identity after trekking from Ankole to attend the June 3 celebrations.
Rev. Canon Michael Wasswa Ssentamu, the Archdeacon of Namugongo, expressed surprise that some pilgrims had still travelled to Namugongo despite widespread communication about the restrictions. He added that they have advised those who arrive to report to the police officers at the main gate to assess them and determine the appropriate course of action.
By the time our reporter left the Anglican site, access had been restricted to accredited service providers, journalists, security personnel, and a limited number of guests. Gates remained closed to the general public. Unlike the Catholic shrine, which remained open to worshippers under strict health precautions, the Anglican site appeared more restrictive as preparations for Wednesday’s commemorations entered the final stages.
Across the shrine, clergy and tour guides continued to move with small groups of visitors, offering guidance and prayer stops at key points. At the Anglican Martyrs Site and the adjacent museum, visitor numbers remained very low. The nearby Muslim Martyrs site stayed closed during the period.
The Uganda Martyrs remain one of the country’s strongest religious tourism attractions, drawing visitors from across the world to the story of the 45 young converts executed under Kabaka Mwanga II in the 1880s.
Each year, the pilgrimage generates significant income for hotels, transport operators, food vendors, and other businesses. This year, much of that activity has dropped following the cancellation of the national gathering due to the Ebola outbreak-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
