Martyrs Day: Foot pilgrims directed to spend nights at designated places

________________

In a bid to ensure total security of life and property during the looming commemoration of the Uganda Martyrs Day, the Police has asked foot-pilgrims and all visitors heading to both the Uganda Martyrs Catholic Shrine and the Uganda Martyrs Anglican Site, Namugongo, in Wakiso district, to rest or spend nights at only those places that security agencies have designated.

Speaking during the meeting of the Uganda Martyrs Day (2026) National Organising Committee (NOC) at the Uganda Martyrs Anglican Site, Namugongo, in Wakiso district on May 14 2026, Assistant Commissioner of Police Cyrus Omara urged the pilgrims to co-operate with the security agencies to have a smooth celebration.

 “We implore the animating dioceses to provide us with the routes that the foot-pilgrims from the various regions of the country will follow so that our respective commanders or security teams can accompany and direct them to the nearest designated place in case they need to rest or make a night stopover.

Members of the Uganda Martyrs Day (2026) National Organising Committee (NOC) during their consultative meeting and guided tour of the Uganda Martyrs Anglican Site, Namugongo, in Wakiso district on Thursday, May 14, 2026. (Photo by Mathias Mazinga)

Previously, we have had cases of some pilgrims opting to go and sleep in unsafe places like banana plantations when they get tired during the night. This can be risky and we totally discourage it. Let us work together to ensure that our pilgrims are safe as they make the pilgrimage of faith.”

The meeting attracted stakeholders from the Anglican Church, the Catholic Church, the ministries of tourism and works, Directorate of Ethics and Integrity, National Waters and Sewerage Corporation, UEDCL, Kira Municipal Council, the Police and other security agencies.

Committee chairperson, also the PS of the Directorate of Ethics and Integrity, Dunstan Balaba, called the organisers from the respective stakeholder ministries, departments, agencies, animating dioceses and the area municipal authorities to work in harmony to ensure that this year’s celebration is even more successful than ever.

“We expect two million pilgrims at the two sites.  They will come from all over the world. Kasese Catholic diocese has already notified us that 1900 pilgrims are about to set off from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Other pilgrims will come from elsewhere in Africa, Europe and the US. We want the commemoration to be undertaken smoothly for the better care and interest of the pilgrims. Government has already allocated sh2bn to the Catholic Church, sh2bn to the Anglican Church, and sh200m to the Uganda Moslem Supreme Council. Government is committed to developing the Uganda Martyrs sites to international religious tourism sites,” said Balaba.

Members of the Uganda Martyrs Day (2026) National Organising Committee (NOC) during their consultative meeting and guided tour of the Uganda Martyrs Anglican Site, Namugongo, in Wakiso district on Thursday, May 14, 2026. (Photo by Mathias Mazinga)

Earlier, Fr John Baptiste Kule from Kasese Catholic Diocese (the lead organisers of the celebration at Uganda Martyrs Catholic Shrine Namugongo) and David Mugawe from Uganda Christian University (the organisers of the celebration at the Uganda Martyrs Anglican Site) briefed the meeting about their readiness to pull off the celebration.

The meeting climaxed with a tour of the Uganda Martyrs Anglican Site, Namugongo, during which the Archdeacon of Namugongo, Ven. Can. Michael Wasswa Ssentamu showed members of the committee the various improvements that had been done on the site to make it more convenient for the celebration.

Other issues

The Chairman of the NOC, Hon. Dunstan Balaba, announced May 29 as the date for the Martyrs Walk of Faith organised by the Anglican Church and May 30 as the date for the Walk of Faith organised by the Catholic Church.

Members of the committee raised concern over the increasing number of stray dogs in and around Namugongo and asked the authorities at Kira Municipal Council to address the issue to ensure security of the pilgrims.

The deputy town clerk of Kira Municipality, Paddy Kakumba, requested that government gives it special funding for garbage collection. He said collecting the garbage littered in the area on Martyrs Day has become one of the nightmares of the municipal authority.

The Archdeacon of Namugongo, Venerable Michael Wasswa Ssentamu (left) gives an explanation to the Chairman of the Uganda Martyrs Day (2026) National Organising Committee (NOC), Hon. Dunstan Balaba (right) and other members of the committee. (Photo by Mathias Mazinga)

Eng. Angelo Kwitonda from the National Water and Sewerage Corporation gave the assurance that the corporation had put in place effective technical measures to ensure that water supply at the two sites is uninterrupted.

Eng.  Raphael Ssemakula from the works ministry gave assurance that the potholes on Namugongo Road were being fixed.

The animating dioceses (Catholic and Anglican) were asked to register the foreign pilgrims and avail the lists to security for better health and security harmonisation.