Teso clergy advocate for unity, peace ahead of Martyrs Day celebrations

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The leading clergy in the Teso sub-region have united in a call for truthfulness, unity, stability and peace as Christians prepare to join the rest of the country in commemorating Uganda Martyrs Day on Wednesday, June 3, 2026.

Uganda Martyrs Day is an annual public holiday observed on June 3. It commemorates the execution of 45 Christian converts, comprising 22 Catholics and 23 Anglicans, who were burned alive or killed between 1885 and 1887 on the orders of Kabaka Mwanga II, the King of the Buganda Kingdom.

This year's national celebrations at the Namugongo shrines have been shifted to local parishes following government directives and concerns over the Ebola outbreak.

Although large pilgrimages to Namugongo have been cancelled, spiritual activities and novenas are being held in local churches across the country to mark the occasion.

The 2026 celebrations will be guided by different themes depending on the diocese or denomination hosting the events. At the Catholic site, animated by the Diocese of Kasese, the theme is “Christ is Alive in You and Me,” inspired by Galatians 2:19-20.

Meanwhile, the Anglican site, organised by Uganda Christian University, carries the theme “Christ Our Peace: Breaking Walls, Healing the Nations,” drawn from Ephesians 2:14.

Speaking ahead of Martyrs Day, Bishop Michael Okwii Esakhan of Kumi Anglican Diocese emphasised the theme “Anchored in Christ for Unity, Stability, and Peace,” derived from Ephesians 2:14-17.

He urged Christians to remain steadfast in Christ in order to promote unity and prosperity in a country challenged by tribalism and nepotism. He prayed that Ugandans would emulate the courage of the martyrs and remain firm in their faith as the nation continues to evolve.

Christ, he reminded Christians, calls people to live lives that glorify God through courage, holiness and repentance.

“We should celebrate Martyrs' Day by anchoring ourselves in Christ and embodying the values expressed in our national anthem,” the bishop stated.

Rev. Fr. Gonzaga Ongereny Waziwazi, the diocesan chancellor of Soroti Catholic Diocese, highlighted the importance of truthfulness among both government leaders and Christians. He reiterated the Christian motto of “For God and My Country,” emphasising the need to uphold Uganda's status as the Pearl of Africa.

Ongereny noted that more than 300 Christians had already travelled to Iganga district in preparation for the Namugongo celebrations before the government announced the cancellation of the national event due to the Ebola outbreak.

He confirmed that all Catholic parishes, including those named after Uganda’s martyrs, such as St. Charles Lwanga Kichinjaji, St. Kizito Katine and Uganda Martyrs Kachumbala, will follow the same readings and theme prepared by Kasese Diocese for the cancelled national celebrations.

As Christians mark this important occasion, both Fr Ongereny and Bishop Okwii urged worshippers to adhere to the Ministry of Health's standard operating procedures (SOPs) to prevent further spread of the virus in Teso.

They emphasised that places of worship should be equipped with handwashing facilities and sanitisers, while practices such as handshaking and close physical contact should be avoided.

History of Uganda Martyrs

In the late 19th century, foreign missionaries, both Catholic and Anglican, arrived in the Kingdom of Buganda. Many young men serving as pages and advisers in the royal court quickly converted to Christianity.

Kabaka Mwanga II viewed the growing influence of the new religions as a serious political and cultural threat to his authority. Tensions escalated when the converts refused to renounce their faith or submit to the king's demands, choosing their Christian beliefs over traditional practices and royal decrees.

Between January 1885 and January 1887, Christians were persecuted in various locations across central Uganda, including Munyonyo and Old Kampala.

The largest and most brutal execution took place on June 3, 1886, at Namugongo. Kabaka Mwanga ordered the execution of 32 young men, both Catholics and Anglicans, who were tied together, placed on a pyre and burned alive.

Global significance and legacy

The unwavering faith and deaths of these young men, the youngest of whom was St. Kizito at about 14 years of age, sparked international attention and outrage.

On October 18, 1964, Pope Paul VI canonised the 22 Catholic martyrs, officially declaring them saints of the Catholic Church.

Today, Namugongo is one of Africa’s leading religious tourism destinations. Every year on June 3, millions of Christian pilgrims, many of whom walk hundreds of kilometres from neighbouring countries such as Kenya, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo, gather at the Uganda Martyrs Catholic Shrine and the adjacent Anglican shrine to pray and commemorate the martyrs.