UWA tips pilgrims on trek through national parks

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The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) has advised foot pilgrims to keep noise levels low to avoid disturbing or attracting wild animals as they pass through the Murchison Falls National Park.

The advice was issued by Wilson Kagoro, the community service warden at Murchison Falls National Park. Kagoro, a UWA official, stated that although he was not initially aware of the pilgrims’ trek, he would alert UWA officials based at Karuma to welcome, guide and direct the pilgrims until they pass beyond the wildlife conservation areas of the park.

Kagoro warned that possible disturbances to the animals include excessive noise from loud chorus singing and the blowing of musical instruments such as vuvuzelas, littering along roads and within the park, and stopovers to urinate or leave human waste in the park’s bushes.

He advised pilgrims to refrain from such practices as they approach the park for their own safety. He also cautioned against dumping or throwing foodstuffs into the bushes, noting that such actions could lead to food poisoning among the animals.

Hundreds of pilgrims, currently trekking over 340km from Gulu city in northern Uganda to the Namugongo shrines, have expressed fears about encountering wildlife as they pass near the park.

Noise pollution is expected to have a disruptive effect on the animals, especially in areas near the park’s catchment zones as the pilgrims approach Karuma Bridge and beyond.

Anglican priest Rev. Francis Odokonyero, the curate at St Philip Cathedral Church—the headquarters of the Diocese of Northern Uganda—urged UWA to guide and address the pilgrims as they pass through Murchison Falls National Park, citing concerns over possible animal reactions due to the noise.

Rev. Odokonyero added that “it was necessary because hundreds of pilgrims trekking on foot do make noise and sing aloud and some blow trumpets as they walk along the roads, hence making it distracting to the animals.”

On the first day of the journey, the pilgrims trekked at least 47km from Gulu city to Apwoyo-cero in Minakulu, Oyam district, where they spent the night of Monday, May 19.

There are at least 136 foot pilgrims, including a five-year-old boy, young people, women and men, with the eldest being 74 years old.

The pilgrimage was officially flagged off by the Diocesan Bishop, the Rt Rev. Godfrey Loum, at about 6:00 am on May 19, 2025.

Meanwhile, Rev. Odokonyero noted that on day two, Tuesday, May 20, the number of pilgrims increased to around 150 as more people joined the group from Apwoyo-cero, the first stopover and overnight point.

Walter Odong, 36, who is trekking to Namugongo for the fourth year and is the leader of this year’s foot pilgrims, outlined some of the challenges faced, including limited food supplies and insufficient clean drinking water, as the number of pilgrims continues to grow.

Odong expressed concern that the food and clean drinking water might run out as pilgrims continue their journey.

He appealed to well-wishers along the route—homes, trading centres, and stopover points—to help restock provisions for the pilgrims.

He added that the next sleepover points after Karuma would be Bweyale and St Janani Luwum in Bombo, among others.

This is the first time in 68 years, since the establishment of the Namugongo shrines in 1957, that the Greater Northern Cluster is jointly animating the Uganda Martyrs' anniversary.