UMU launches Uganda Martyrs Essay writing competition

KAMPALA - Uganda Martyrs University (UMU) has launched the Uganda Martyrs Essay Writing Competition, targeting pre-university students from the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) region.

AMECEA is a Catholic pastoral organisation comprising eight member conferences from Eastern Africa that include Uganda, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania and Zambia.

According to UMU management, students from other religious beliefs are encouraged to send their essays, with the winners scheduled to be unveiled at this year’s Uganda Martyrs celebrations at Namugongo Catholic Martyrs’ Shrine. 

Some of the senior staff at Uganda Martyrs University main campus at Nkozi in Mpigi district after the launch of the Uganda Martyrs Essay writing competition 2026 edition, on February19, 2026. Third right is the deputy vice chancellor, Dr. Christopher B. Mukidi. (All Photos by Eddie Ssejjoba)

Dr. Christopher B. Mukidi (R), the Uganda Martyrs University deputy vice chancellor, appending his signature on the launch pad for the Uganda Martyrs Essay Competition at the main university campus in Nkozi, Mpigi district. The competition is expected to attract pre-university students from the association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) region. The launch was held on Feb 19,2026. (All photos by Eddie Ssejjoba)

The university will also facilitate the successful applicants to travel to their main campus at Nkozi for the third round of oral interviews and later transport them to Namugongo
to attend the martyrs’ celebrations on June 3.

The University has partnered with the Vision Group, which will provide the necessary publicity for this year’s edition, intended to attract wider coverage and bring in more entries.

Speaking at the launch at Nkozi campus on February 19, 2026, the UMU deputy Vice Chancellor, Dr. Christopher Mukidi, who represented the Vice Chancellor, said that the competition is mainly targeting the AMECEA member countries, including Uganda.

“We are calling on school head teachers and teachers in secondary schools in the region to encourage their students to take part and write about Uganda Martyrs. We want the students to speak about the lives of the Uganda Martyrs and how their story has impacted them in their lives,” Mukidi explained.

The Uganda Martyrs University deputy Vice Chancellor, Dr. Christopher B. Mukidi, talking about the Uganda Martyrs Essay Competition after its launch at the main campus in Nkozi, Mpigi district. The competition is expected to attract pre-university students from the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) region. The launch was held on February 19,2026.

Rev. Fr. Dr. Peter Celestine Safari, a lecturer at the Uganda Martyrs University, Nkozi and one of the coordinators of the Uganda Martyrs Essay Competition explains the process of submitting essays via email.

Mukidi hailed Vision Group for accepting to join UMU in this partnership, saying it would go a long way in spreading the message and attracting more applications, especially from outside Uganda.

The participants who use emails to submit their work, he explained, go through a process, and the winners are given prizes in terms of cash, scholarships and plaques.

They are also facilitated to travel to Namugongo to attend the June 3 celebrations.

The University choir on stage. (All Photos by Eddie Ssejjoba)

“After a series of competitions, the winners are selected and eventually announced at the martyrs’ celebrations in Namugongo on June 3,” he emphasised, adding that coming up with the essay competition was one of the ways the university came up with to link with the martyrs.

He said the Uganda Martyrs have many virtues that they promoted that give good lessons to students, including promoting courage and patience among young people.

“When a student researches a particular martyr, he or she is able to pick some lessons, which they can apply in their daily life, like the virtue of patience.

One of the coordinators of the Uganda Martyrs essay competition, Ambrose Kibuuka Mukiibi shows one of the book talking about the Uganda Martyrs.

Some of the guests attending the launch of the Uganda Martyrs Essay competition at Nkozi main campus.

“With the research, our young people learn from the Uganda Martyrs the ability to endure suffering, frustration, or delay with a calm, composed spirit, rather than reacting with anger or despair. We also know that students often face a lot of challenges and hardships throughout their school life, but what they learn from the martyrs can
help them to go through these challenges,” he explained.

The idea of the essay writing about the Uganda Martyrs, according to Mukidi, was floated in 2022 within the University management, and it was resolved to implement it, first on a pilot basis.

The first essay competition was held in Jinja diocese in 2023 as a trial, but after seeing a good response with many schools expressing interest, he explained, the following year, 2024, made a national launch.

“It was last year, 2025, that we came up with the idea of expanding it to the AMECEA countries and received applicants from Malawi and Tanzania in addition to many from our local schools,” he said.

Last year’s winners were Ritah Precious Asiimwe from St. Charles Lwanga Secondary School, Mubende in Mityana diocese, Andrea Eliza from Likumi Girls Secondary School, Lilongwe Archdiocese in Malawi, and two who tied for third prize.

They included Hamadi Ayoub (Musim) from Lesso Compassion Secondary School, Fortakim Ifakara Diocese in Tanzania and Carolyne Mukama-Talemwa from St. Maria Gorreti Secondary School, Fort Portal Diocese in Uganda.

 “With AMECEA coming on board, the competition went high by attracting more entries; we expected more applicants from countries that did not submit their entries last year,” Mukidi noted.

 The university is also doing partnerships with various bodies like the Uganda Episcopal Conference and the Government of Uganda, which also sponsors the Martyrs celebrations and the private sector.

He explained, “We believe that the essay competition and the awards add something colourful to the martyrs’ celebrations, including spiritual formation, youth empowerment, and regional integration. We also look at Pan-African identity and solidarity as a benefit as well as educational enrichment through research.”

He, however, said the major purpose of the competition was to promote the story of the Uganda Martyrs, given the fact that there was still scanty literature about them.

“We look forward to seeing more people speaking about the Uganda Martyrs. There is a lot that we need to know about them and to bring more awareness about individuals who sacrificed their lives to protect their religious beliefs, which can also promote Uganda’s tourism,” Mukidi further explained.

From the academic angle, Mukidi stated, the university was looking forward to more academic research papers, which he said was an area that they were pursuing in the long run as a road less travelled, adding that it was going to be a game-changer for the university.

The Rev. Dr. Peter Celestine Safari, a lecturer and one of the coordinators of the programme, said they wanted the world to know that the Uganda Martyrs were not only for Ugandans, but all believers worldwide.

“Although we learn that the Uganda Martyrs were simple, ordinary people, their impact on lives of people has been great; their story should go beyond the Church and celebrations to inspire others and academic research,” he explained, adding that the cause of the martyrs had been underutilised.

Christine Nakyejwe, a member of the examination team, said that they had formed a strong team that receives and scrutinises all the applications to identify successful candidates and contact them.

The launch was attended by Isaac Mondecee, one of the winners who got a scholarship to study law at the UMU Nkozi campus.

 “I was in Form Five at Jinja College when I applied and won. I got the cash prize, but I was not sure about the scholarship until I camehere and I was admitted,” he said, and called upon students to use what he termed as life-changing opportunities.