UGANDA MARTYRS' DAY 2022

Live presentation by Joseph Kizza
(Scroll down the page for updates)
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2:07 pm  |  Mass at Catholic site ends

The final blessing is delivered on a now sweltering Friday mid-afternoon, before the choir leads the recessional hymn, as the Martyrs' Day mass ends at Namugongo.

It has been a prayerful day at both the Catholic and Anglican sites. You can be sure that thousands of pilgrims will stick around long after today.

But for this live commentary page, this is the last entry. Be sure to read more related content on our Martyrs page HERE.

I leave you with these group pictures of the high-profile people who have attended today's mass, including King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV of Toro, who will have been proud of how well the Fort Portal Diocese organised this year's Catholic celebration.

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2:02 pm  |  Youngest and oldest pilgrims

Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja presents a certificate to Mzee Bernado, who walked on foot Bushenyi. She promises him that he will not walk back home, to mean he will receive a token of appreciation from the premier.

The Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among, hands Brian Kwesiga, 14, his certificate. She then says he will not only receive $1,000 (sh3.7m) from her, but also get schooled through her funding.
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1:51 pm  |  Youngest and oldest pilgrims

Meanwhile, we are told that the youngest pilgrim this year is a 14-year-old from Fort Portal city and the oldest is a 100-year-old from Bushenyi district.

The two will receive certificates.
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1:43 pm 

President Museveni published on his website his statement on this year's Martyrs' Day celebration. Here it is in full:

I congratulate all the Balamazi (Pilgrims) who have trekked long and short  distances to the Namugongo Shrines, for this year’s Martyrs Day. I want to welcome the visitors to Uganda, among the pilgrims, who have come to  enjoy  the  blessings of this day with us. I wish you  a memorable stay in Uganda. 

After two difficult years of battling with the coronavirus disease and other natural hazards like the locust invasion, floods etc., we have every reason to thank the Almighty God, the anchor of our faith, for shielding Uganda from the nightmare of mass deaths, as was sadly witnessed in some parts of the globe. 

During the COVID pandemic, all gatherings were stopped to contain the  spread of the virus;  but, nevertheless,  because  God  is  omnipresent, believers continued worshiping and praying in their respective homes. 

Indeed, the Lord heard our humble prayers and spared our lives. If you remember, I encouraged  you  during  the  lockdown  to  read  Isaiah, Chapter  26: Verse 20, which says: “Go home my people and lock your doors! Hide yourselves  for  a little  while  until  the  Lord’s anger has passed”.

Now that the Lord’s anger has passed and the virus has  been  defeated, believers are again at liberty to congregate and worship the Almighty God. 

Martyrdom is a death that one suffers because of his or her beliefs or stand on an issue. These beliefs can be religious, political, intellectual etc.  For  instance,  in  Ancient  Greece,  we  are  told  that  Socrates,  an independent  thinker and  ardent  seeker  after truth, was  made  to drink a poisonous substance called hemlock, because he challenged the dogmas of his time. 

Even Christianity is built on the martyrdom of Jesus  Christ. He was subjected to a trial for saying that he was God and sentenced to death by hanging on a cross. The African freedom fighters,  such as Eduardo Mondlane of Mozambique; Amilcar  Cabral of  Guinea  Bissau; Herbert  Chitepo of Zimbabwe, Patrice Lumumba of the Congo etc. were killed because they believed and worked for the liberation of Africa from the shackles of colonialism.

They were political martyrs. The  Uganda  martyrs,  in  particular, were  killed  on  account  of  their religious beliefs. They were executed on the orders of Kabaka Mwanga because they refused to renounce their faith in Christianity. The fact that they  were  killed  for  believing  in  Jesus  Christ is the distinguishing factor; otherwise, mass executions on the orders of the King were common. 

The tribal kings and chiefs, who ruled Africain the pre-colonial era, had  little  regard  for the worth and sanctity of  human life. Human beings were  mere playthings in  their hands.  Kabaka  Mutesa  I,  for example,  was known  as Mukaabya “a causer of tears.” 

The kings and chiefs, who were evidently cruel glory-seekers clothed in animal skins and accustomed  to being  addressed  in high-sounding  titles, had little regard for human life. This is why they permitted slave trade to flourish on African soil in exchange of trivial articles like mirrors, swords,cloths, plates, cups,guns etc. from the Arabs. 

This evil trade depleted  the  African  population. These kings were also fond  of carrying  human  sacrifices  in  the name of appeasing the  gods. Therefore, the  burning  of the  Uganda martyrs to  death was  not  an exception. The unique element in their death is that it was related to their faith.

Muslims were the first religious martyrs at Namugongo - a traditional execution ground. An estimated 200 Muslims were killed under the reign of Mutesa I; before the explorer Henry Morton Stanley arrived at his court in 1875. 

Kabaka Mutesa is said to have fallen under the influence of Arab traders. He embraced Islam and learnt some Arabic. However, when a group of Muslim converts at the palace refused to eat the king’smeat because it had been slaughtered by non-Muslims(Kaffirs),  Mutesa was infuriated  and ordered for  their  death. He feared that the exclusive tendencies among the Muslims would sow seeds of rebellion. 

Mutesa also refused to undergo circumcision, as is required of a Muslim man. Mutesa’s refusal to completely convert to Islam meant that Muslim Egypt, with its expansionist ambitions to annex the territories along the  head-waters  of  the  River Nile,  would  remain a  hostile  threat  to Buganda. He had to seek allies elsewhere to build military capacity to counter this real threat.

Therefore, when Henry Stanley arrived in Buganda,  Mutesa  viewed  him  as  a  potential  ally against  the Egyptians. He was not looking for missionaries, as was later misrepresented in Stanley’s letter to the Daily Telegraph in Britain.This  is  a  crucial point because it created a mismatch in expectations between Mutesa and  the  missionaries,  when  they  finally  arrived  in  Uganda.

The memoir  of  Alexander  Mackay,  who  was  an agent of the Church Missionary Society, exemplifies this point. 

He writes: “I was asked why we came here, and what we came to do. I replied that  we  came  in  response  to  his (Mutesa’s) own  request to  Stanley, that he  wished  White men to come and stop with him, and teach his people the knowledge of God. He said that he understood that we came to  teach them  how  to make  powder and  guns,  and  what he  wanted was men who would do so.”(A.M. MACKAY Pioneer Missionary of the Church MissionarySociety to Uganda-1893)

It is clear from the above quotation that missionaries (teachers of the gospel) were not the group which Mutesa anticipated to be sent from Europe. In  addition to the mismatch in  expectations,  as  seen above, the rivalry between the Protestants  (Wangeleza)and the French (Wanfransa) was viewed with disdain by Mutesa. 

Besides  the  tension  between  Christians and Moslems, Christianity was divided between Catholics and Protestants. Mutesa saw this as a danger to the unity of Buganda. Again, Alexander Mackay helps us to see Mutesa’s understanding of this danger. 

He wondered: “Every nation of White men has another religion?"

Therefore, by the time Mwanga ascended the throne, after the death of his father, Mutesa I, in 1884, Buganda was at crossroads. First of all,  the  growing influence  of  Christianity  was  viewed as  a  threat to the  traditional norms and  practices  (e.g. polygamy, lubareworship etc.); Christianity  and  Islam were  at  loggerheads.

Furthermore, the contradictions between the two Christian sects i.e. Protestants and Catholics, were  seen  as a recipe for disunity; the  European missionaries were  suspected  of  spying  on  behalf of their  respective countries,  they  were  viewed  as pioneers  of  conquest; the  German annexation of territory at the Coast strengthened the suspicions; and the entryof  Bishop  Hannington into  Uganda  through  Busoga, confirmed  another  long-held  suspicion  that Buganda’s  enemies would use the “back door” – Eastern route to conquer her.

This was a very complex situation for the young and inexperienced Mwanga. In  an  attempt  to  stamp  his  authority  among  his  subjects and thwart foreign influences in his domain, he chose the reactionary path of persecution and mass killings.

Bishop James Hannington became one of the first victims of these murders  on October 22, 1885; the missionaries were  also subjected to constant harassment and scores of Christians converts were captured and massacred in June, 1886.

However, these killings weakened Mwanga’s grip on Buganda; the hitherto  divided  camps of Christians versusMuslims, Protestants versus Catholics,  were  united  by  their  common persecution and fought Mwanga with foreign backing. 
The  Muslims emerged powerful and enthroned Mwanga’s  brother Kiwewe as a Muslim king. 

However, like Mutesa I, Kiwewe refused to be circumcised. The Muslims forced him to relinquish the throne in favour of his brother Kalema, who embraced Islam. Under Kalema,the Muslims  sought  to Islamize the whole of Buganda and  wave of persecution against Christians swept across the country. 

This fostered temporary unity between the Protestants and Catholics. 

Ironically,  the  defeated  Mwanga appealed  to the Christians to help him regain his throne with the promise of reformation from his old ways. 

In  a  letter  addressed  to  the  missionary  Mackay  and  Colonel Macdonald, Mwanga makes an earnest plea as follows: “I,  Mwanga,  beg  of  you  to  help  me.  Do  not  remember  bygone matters...restore  me  to  my  kingdom,  you  will  be  at  liberty  to  do whatever you like...Mr. Mackay, do help me; I have no strength, but if you are with me I shall be strong. Sir, do not imagine that if you restore Mwanga to Uganda, he will become bad again. If you find me become bad, then you may drive me from the throne; but I have given up my former  ways, and I only  wish now to follow your  advice.” (A.M. MACKAY  Pioneer  Missionary  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society  to Uganda-1893)

In 1890, the Christians fought the Muslims and restored Mwanga to his throne.

This is a brief sketch of the circumstances under which the Uganda martyrs were   killed. We salute them for their steadfastness, despite being new converts to the Christian faith. They paid the ultimate price of death at the hands of an insecure  and paranoid monarch.  

They did not die in vain. Their fortitude  and endurance continue to win souls for the Kingdom of God. This is why,  every year, thousands of pilgrims trek to Namugongo from every corner of Uganda and outside our borders to emulate the Uganda martyrs’ spirit of sacrifice and total surrender to God.

Finally, I wish you all a blessed Martyrs' Day and safe travel to your respective homes.
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1:24 pm 

Before reading the President's speech, Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja, who is representing him as the guest of honour, tells the congregation that she had used her powers to stop the "loud music" by revellers across the road on the Catholic side.

"This will not happen again," she vows.
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1:20 pm 

Meanwhile, Police say they have arrested 34 suspects in Namugongo, as they continue to provide security to thousands of pilgrims who have thronged the area to celebrate the Uganda martyrs.

Read the story HERE.
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1:17 pm 

In his brief speech, The Apostolic Nuncio to Uganda, The Most Rev. Luigi Bianco, prays that "may the Holy Spirit descend in abundance to fill our hearts and minds".
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1:05 pm 

Bishop Joseph Anthony Zziwa of Kiyinda-Mityana Diocese is the head of the Catholic bishops of Uganda (Uganda Episcopal Conference).

"This is a heroic gathering coming two years after the country and the world was locked down due to the coronavirus pandemic," he says in his speech.

"Let us thank God for keeping us alive and pray for the repose of our beloved brothers and sisters who succumbed to the pandemic."

Zziwa says the Uganda martyrs drew courage and motivation from Christ's death and the hope of resurrection.

In his message of gratitute, Zziwa thanks the Apostolic Nuncio (Pope's ambassador) to Uganda, The Most Rev. Luigi Bianco, for you "encouragement and facilitation of this event".

He also thanks the Government for "all the support given to the success of this day".
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12:56 pm 

Archbishop Ssemogerere says this year's theme means that "we all have a stake in the mission of Christ" and that one way of doing this is by "spreading the faith in our families, communities, etc"

"Let us continue to walk in the footsteps of the Uganda Martyrs."
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12:50 pm 

Next up is Archbishop Paul Ssemogerere of Kampala Archdiocese, who delivers "warm greetings" from His Eminence Emmanuel Cardinal Wamala. He says the 95-year-old clergyman "is with us in spirit and in prayer".

He then goes on to say that the Uganda martyrs are a testimony that "we can stand firm in faith despite the challenges we may experience in life".
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12:41 pm 

In his brief remarks after introducing his team of laities from all over the country, including his wife, Ndyanabo speaks of the gratitude God deserves for helping Uganda claw out of the pandemic.

"Let us, fellow pilgrims, use this occiasion to thank the Lord, for He has brought us this far," says Ndyanabo, who goes on to pray for the "complete end of this pandemic".

He then rallies everyone to play a role in the peace-building process in Uganda.

"Peace is not merely the absence of war. Let us be instruments of peace, beginning in our homes. For every one of us, let us do a self-examination. Are you part of the solution? The words you use...."
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12:35 pm 

Vision Group's Gervase Ndyanabo is the president of the Uganda National Catholic Council of Lay Apostolate (UNCCLA). He is invited to address the congregation at Namugongo.
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12:26 pm  |   Martyrs 'did not die in vain'

President Yoweri Museveni has been represented at Namugongo by Vice-President Jessica Alupo at the Anglican prayers and by Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja on the Catholic side.

In a tweeted message, the President has congratulated all the pilgrims from far and wide on making it to Namugongo for today's celebration.

"We salute the Uganda martyrs for their steadfastness, despite being new converts to the Christian faith. They paid the ultimate price of death but did not die in vain. Their fortitude and endurance continue to win souls for the Kingdom of God," said Museveni.

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12:06 pm

📸  Today's prayer celebrations have been happening concurrently, with service at the Anglican site and mass at the Catholic site of Namugongo.

Below are pictures from the Anglican prayers. I am sure you can identify some - if not all - of the prominent faces.

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11:47 am

📸  At Mamre International Prayer Centre.

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11:23 am

The lively offertory hymn Agutamba W'amaani is ringing out across the Catholic site as the offertory is delivered in a musical procession animated by graceful tunic-clad dancers to the Martyrs Lake island altar.

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11:05 am

It is intercession time at the Catholic site - delivered in various languages. One of the prayers is for peace in the world, especially in nations troubled by conflict.
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11:03 am

Security remains tight at Namugongo and in surrounding areas.

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10:55 am

📸  Take a look at earlier pictures from the Anglican site, including the procession that got the Martyrs' Day service under way.

The moment when the chief guest, Vice-President Jessica Alupo (L), arrived for the function. First Deputy Prime Minister Rebecca Kadaga (C) was also in attendance.

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10:39 am

"We are not alone. The Lord is with us, as He was with the martyrs in their challenges," preaches Bishop Robert Muhiirwa, the main celebrant of today's Catholic church liturgical celebration of the Uganda martyrs.

He talks of the current challenges faced in the country, including the rising commodity prices and strengthens the faithful that divine intervention if part of the solution. "We shall be able to overcome these challenges around us with the help from the Lord.

"Let us remember that our life here on earth is shortlived. It is transitional," he says, urging Christians to "deepen our love and faith in the Lord".
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10:34 am

Bishop Muhiirwa preaches that "the Lord is calling us to learn from the Uganda martyrs to strive for purity and chastity".

"They were always moved by the Word of God ...even during very hard conditions.

"As they were dying, they had a spirit fo forgiveneess and prayer for their executioners."

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10:23 am

Bishop Muhiirwa tells the congregation that lessons should be drawn from the Uganda martyrs' life, for instance the obedience of God's commandments.

"Let us not be double dealers in our faith. Let us learn from the martyrs.  Let us turn away from witchcraft," he preaches.
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10:18 am

In his homily, Bishop Robert Muhiirwa of Fort Portal Diocese calls upon every faithful to "praise the Lord for the heroes of our faith".

"We cherish the faith of the Uganda martyrs," he adds later, saying they were inspired by the Holy Spirit.
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10:14 am

A colourful, massively attended mass it is.

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10:09 am

Today, all roads are leading to Namugongo.



After an early-morning shower on Friday, the weather has turned out just fine.


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9:56 am

After two years of a Namugongo no-show due to coronavirus pandemic restrictions, it definitely must be feeling great to be back to the site for the thousands of pilgrims in attendance today.

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9:48 am

Mass gets under way, with Bishop Robert Muhiirwa of Fort Portal Diocese the main celebrant.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja has arrived just in time.

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9:37 am

The procession is under way at the Catholic site. The 300-member choir is doing well to lend a collective musical voice to the celebrations.

It is a gloriously warm morning already, with a generous amount of sunshine splashed over the thousands of pilgrims crammed on the terraces of the vast Namugongo compound.

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9:20 am

Meanwhile, the choir at the Catholic site is warming the liturgical stage with hymns, as the procession readies to get under way.

The Catholic church is holding the celebrations under the theme: 'Baptized and sent to witness Christ with love and hope'.

Among the high-profile figures present here is the Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among, and immediate former Vice-President of Uganda, Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi.

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9:14 am

It is intercession time on the Anglican side, with the recent rise in commodity prices featuring in the prayer for the nation Uganda.

Bishop Fred Sheldon Mwesigwa prays for Ankole Diocese.
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9:09 am

Over to the Catholic site, many high-profile people, including politicians, are in attendance. Two of them are the Leader of Opposiiton in Parliament, Mathias Mpuuga, and Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) president Patrick Oboi Amuriat, seen here having a chat before the start of mass.

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8:58 am

As the praise and worship team from All Saints Mbarara is invited to lead the congregation through a five-minute session of praise and worship, Vice-President Jessica Alupo arrives. She is the chief guest on the Anglican side.

Also in attendance is Rebecca Kadaga, the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for East African Community affairs.

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8:53 am

At the Anglican Martyrs' shrine, Bishop Nathan Ahimbisibwe invites the choir to lead the congregation through the Lord's Prayer.

Bishop Wilberforce Kityo Luwalira of Namirembe diocese leads the congregation in the day's prayer.
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8:43 am

Charles Lwanga was the first victim of the infamous execution at Namugongo.

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8:37 am

Since today's is a national event, the usual formalities must be observed. And by formalities, I mean anthems. The Uganda and Buganda anthems are played at the Anglican shrine, where the function is under way.

The Most Rev. Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu, the Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, is in attendance.
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8:28 am

Meanwhile, the procession at the Anglican site is under way. Today's Church of Uganda celebrations are led by Greater Ankole, with the theme being 'Hope beyond affliction'.

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8:15 am

📸  More pictures from Namugongo.

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7:54 am

📸  Some of the pictures from Namugongo - here at the Catholic site.

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7:40 am

Across to the Anglican Martyrs Shrine, the place is getting filled - if not already - as more pilgrims arrive to settle in for the service, which is expected to start at 9:30am.

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7:26 am

At the Catholic shrine, the choir members of the Fort Portal Catholic Diocese have arrived wearing traditional attire, with the gentlemen donning tunics (kanzus). They are taking their places - their vocal chords ready to colour today's liturgical celebrations in angelic fashion.

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7:21 am

It has been a wet start to Friday in some parts of Kampala, including Namugongo, where pilgrims have gathered in their thousands to attend today's martyrs commemoration. The skies are opening up though, providing an early promise of glorious weather as we get along. Meanwhile, security remains ramped up to keep the area safe.

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6:56 am

There is a special pullout on all matters Uganda martyrs in today's New Vision, whose electronic version (e-paper) you can access 👉🏽 HERE.

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6:47 am

This year's Martyrs' Day commemoration at the Catholic shrine is to be led by Fort Portal Diocese. This diocese, the home of one of the martyrs (Aloysius Tumwekwase), had last led these prayers in 1997, when it was under the stewardship of the late Bishop Paul Kalanda, who died in 2015 at the age of 88.

The diocese marked this year's celebrations with a 10-day 302km pilgrimage from Fort Portal to Namugongo. A 300-voice choir featuring members selected from various parishes of Fort Portal Diocese will animate the celebration.
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6:13 am

While most pilgrims made their way to Namugongo on foot . . .

Others, like these ones from Lira district in northern Uganda, cycled for over 400 kilometres to get to Namugongo.

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6:04 am

Vision Group platforms are bringing to you coverage of the Uganda Martyrs commemoration. If you have not downloaded our app yet, please do so via Google Play or App Store (search for Vision Digital Experience).

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5:47 am

🗞️ Watch below a sneak peek of some of the stories in today's New Vision and Bukedde papers, whose electronic versions (e-paper) you can access 👉🏽 HERE.




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5:38 am

And there goes an early shower in some parts of Kampala!

Rain is not a preferred choice of weather for some people - especially if you are about to leave your home, or have just left without an umbrella, at this time of the day. But others see the celestial droplets as liquified blessings.

So, it depends on where you fall.

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5:30 am  |   Traffic guidelines

As you would expect, the traffic situation gets tricky on such busy days. The Police have already issued a detailed traffic advisory for today's celebrations at Namugongo. Take a look:

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5:17 am  |   Fort Portal Diocese in charge

The Uganda Episcopal Conference selected Fort Portal Diocese to spearhead the preparations for this year’s Martyrs Day, 25 years since the diocese had last led the celebrations.

Pilgrims from the diocese made their grand entry into Kampala on Tuesday (May 31) and were received and led from Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church Busega to Namugongo by the Kampala Metropolitan Police.

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5:15 am

On Thursday, the Inspector General of Police Martins Okoth Ochola inspected the security preparedness at the Namugongo shrines. Touring the Catholic and Anglican churches, the Police chief  checked out the crime investigations, the child and family protection desks, traffic plan and the access control. 

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5:11 am  |   Prohibited items at entry points

Police spokesperson Enanga added as talked of banned items.

"As a security precaution, the following items will be prohibited from entry into the venues; aerosols, ammunition, animals other than Police K-9 dogs, backpacks exceeding size restrictions, balloons, bicycles, unmanned aerial vehicles, like drones other than for security, explosives, firearms, glass, thermos, metallic containers, pepper spray and any other items determined to be a potential hazard to the public event."

Police's assurance to the public is that "we remain committed to working with all stakeholders to ensure a very successful religious pilgrimage at all venues".

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5:10 am  |   'Multi-layered security'

Here is more from what Enanga said about security's readiness:

We also have standby teams, mobile squads, advance teams, 999 patrols, motorcycle squads as part of the multi-layered security posture. In addition, our cyber and ICT teams are using CCTV cameras, to effectively monitor the conduct and movement of pilgrims at the shrines and the routes they will use. The joint UPF and UPDF Airwing will conduct aerial surveillance.

To the pilgrims, faith-based tourists and well-wishers, we urge you to remain vigilant and focused while at any of the venues. You are further advised to carry your ID or other identification documents, keep an eye on your personal belongings, wallet, mobile phones, and other objectives of value; avoid leaving elders or children alone, be wary of strangers, ensure your mobile phone is fully charged, let the family and friends know where you are. Those who can make use of the UPF – MOBI APP, can call the nearest Police unit or our National Operations Emergency Centre at Police Headquarters, Naguru, to enable them to attend to you easily on 0800199699, 0707600773, 0776999135.

We want to also encourage the pilgrims to be aware of their physical health and condition. They should not take risks by subjecting themselves to perseverance, hunger, thirst, standing for long, over congesting and other risky practices. In case of any signs of weakness, seek immediate medical attention. In addition, it is important to follow the rules at all venues, take care of the common facilities, milestones, signs, information panel and respect the pathway rules.

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5:07 am

With such large numbers of people collecting in one area, tightening security is top priority. The Police say they are prepared.

"Although, a threat environment still exists in the country, we wish to inform the public that currently, there are no credible or specific threats directed towards the Uganda Martyrs celebrations in Namugongo," came Police's assurance in the buildup to today.

Earlier this week, Police spokesperson Fred Enanga said their joint security task teams are camped at all the four venues and "continue to review our level of preparedness and assessments of threats and vulnerabilities towards the popular religious celebrations".

"We have worked on intelligence and analysis, profiled all venues, hotels and hotspots in the area to help identify potential risks and taken steps on how to address them," said Enanga.

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5:05 am

Pilgrims are gathering in large numbers at four different venues:

- Namugongo Catholic Martyrs Shrine
- Namugongo Anglican Martyrs Shrine
- Mamre International Prayer Centre
- Muslim Shrine in Namugongo
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5:03 am

Altogether, there are 24 Uganda Catholic martyrs, with 22 of these killed between 1885 and 1887 under the orders of the then king of Buganda, Mwanga.

Hundreds of thousands of people make this annual pilgrimage in honour of the Ugandan martyrs, some crossing into Uganda from neighbouring countries, including Kenya, as well as from other parts of the world.

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5:00 am   |   Good morning!

Hello everyone, it is an early start to what promises to be a busy Friday here in Uganda's capital Kampala. It is a public holiday, as it is this third day of June that Uganda set aside to celebrate the Ugandan martyrs - killed many decades ago because of their faith - in collective spirit.

The holy shrines and sites in Namugongo, the main venues of the infamous executions, are back to their boisterous selves after two years of the coronavirus pandemic ensured that no pilgrimages were made in honour of the martyrs. The last time pilgrims from all over the country - and beyond - had gathered at Namugongo for the June 3 commemoration was in 2019.

So now that we are back, we promise to keep you up to date with what will be happening during the event today right on this page.