📷 Vision Group staff honour Uganda Martyrs with Namugongo trek

KAMPALA - As one of the precursors to Uganda Martyrs Day celebrations, Vision Group staff members and professional associates have made a pilgrimage (walk of faith) to Uganda Martyrs Catholic Shrine Namugongo in Wakiso district.

Led by CEO Don Wanyama and the Deputy Managing Director (DMD) Gervase Ndyanabo, the Vision Group pilgrims who included journalists, heads of departments, editors and support staff, started their trek of faith from the head office at the Industrial Area in Kampala city on Sunday, June 1, 2025, at about 2:00pm. 

Accompanied by a brass band, which played religious hymns, the group walked 11km via Banda, Kireka and Kyaliwajjala, up to Namugongo.

The Rev Msgr Rogers Kabuye Mukasa presided over the mass for Vision Group's pilgrimage of faith at Uganda Martyrs Basilica Namugongo, in Wakiso district on Sunday, June 1, 2025. (All Photos by Mathias Mazinga)

Vision Group CEO Don Wanyama delivers his thanksgiving remarks at the close of mass in Namugongo Basilica on Sunday, June 1 2026.

The pilgrims received warm cheers and gestures of encouragement from onlookers as they trekked in imitation and honour of the 45 Martyrs of Uganda (22 Catholics and 23 Anglicans), who were killed on the orders of King Mwanga of Buganda (between 1885 and 1887) on account of their Christian faith.

Upon arrival at the shrine (at about 5:00pm) the pilgrims from Vision Group participated in a Eucharistic celebration presided over by the Vicar General of Kampala Archdiocese, the Rev. Fr. Rogers Kabuye Mukasa, who in his homily paid glowing tribute to Wanyama for gracing the mass as the chief pilgrim. He also thanked Ndyanabo, Bukedde newspaper editor Michael Mukasa Ssebowa (who is also the head of the Catholic laity of Vision Group), the entire family of Vision Group and all other members of the media fraternity for participating in the pilgrimage.

Ten-year-old Austin Wanyama (forefront) walking with Vision Group members of staff to Namugongo on Sunday, June 1, 2025.

Vision Group staff members during their walk of faith to Uganda Martyrs Catholic Shrine Namugongo on Sunday, June 1, 2025.

Stay committed and professional

Kabuye asked media practitioners to do their work with utmost commitment and professionalism, urging them to refrain from sensational journalism, which, according to him, often agitates society, incites and fuels hatred, violence and general social disorder. 

He sounded even more concerned as he urged the media practitioners to be mindful of the merits and demerits of artificial intelligence as they practice their profession.

To make his point even clearer, Kabuye referred to a recent incident, when one media platform reported that the newly-elected Pope Leo XIV had been in Uganda as a missionary, and had served as chaplain of St Leo’s College Kyegobe, a story that caused enormous excitement among the alumni of the college but had been generated by artificial intelligence and was sheer fake news.

Vision Group staff members led by the CEO, Don Wanyama (fourth-left) during their walk of faith to Uganda Martyrs Catholic Shrine Namugongo on Sunday, June 1, 2025.

The brass ensemble play marching music for the Vision Group pilgrims.

“You journalists have a saying that when a dog bites a human person, it is not news, that news is when a human being bites a dog. But today we know well that even if a human being does not bite a dog, news can still be generated by artificial intelligence. Normally such stories are easily believed, but they are fake news, falsehoods aimed at generating public opinion.

“Dear journalists, let’s be instruments of hope. Let’s communicate truth. People have many problems that have caused them to lose hope. The world needs communicators who give people hope, not despair. Social communicators, scouts, girl guides, young Christian students, you all have a role to play. You are called to be instruments of hope,” Kabuye emphasised.

Vision Group journalists carrying portraits of the Uganda Martyrs during the procession for the Eucharistic celebration at Namugongo Basilica on Sunday, June 1, 2025.

Vision Group staff members carrying offertory during mass.

He added that the pioneer missionaries of the Catholic missionary society of the White Fathers, Fr Simeon Lourdel Mapeera and Bro Delmas Amans who introduced the Catholic faith in Uganda communicated truth and the hope of eternal life to the Uganda martyrs, which was why they were able to take the radical and right decision of following Christ and dying for Him.

He asked social communicators and all Ugandans to pray to the Holy Spirit to give them the truth and the hope that he gave to the apostles, the pioneer missionaries and the Uganda martyrs, and consequently share it with others.

Vision Group's Deputy MD, Gervase Ndyanabo (left), the CEO Don Wanyama (second left) and other staff members in a prayerful posture during mass in Namugongo Basilica on Sunday, June 1, 2025.

A spectacle of Vision Group staff members and their associates during mass in Namugongo Basilica on Sunday, June 1, 2025.

“Martyrs Achilles Kiwanuka, Ambrose Kibuuka and Mugagga Lubowa whom we commemorate on this eighth day of the Uganda Martyrs Novena were energetic and hardworking young men but they gave up everything because they believed in life after death. Kibuuka had accumulated a lot of witchcraft but burnt all of them. Let the Holy Spirit who inspired the martyrs also inspire us to be messengers of truth and hope,” he concluded.

Addressing the congregation during the same function, Wanyama acknowledged the challenges of fake news and misinformation that the media profession generally faces owing to the increasing misuse of artificial intelligence and unethical behaviour of some members of the profession. He thus appealed to Christians and all people of goodwill to pray for the media practitioners to do their work with courage, integrity, empathy, concern, steadfastness and absolute professionalism for the common good of society.

Msgr Rogers Kabuye performing the Eucharistic consecration rites during the mass he celebrated with Vision Group staff members at Namugongo Catholic Shrine on Sunday, June 1, 2025.

A spectacle of Vision Group CEO and his son Austin Wanyama in the offertory procession during mass in Namugongo Basilica on Sunday, June 1, 2025.

Wanyama caused enormous excitement when he reintroduced his wife, Rita Wanyama and their 10-year-old son Austin Wanyama, with whom they made the 11km trek.

During the mass, the pilgrims commemorated three martyrs: St Achilles Kiwanuka (patron saint of clerks, press, journalists and writers), St Ambrose Kibuuka (patron saint of societies and youth movements such as scouts, young Christian students, Xavierians, etc) and St Mugagga Lubowa (the patron saint of clubs, community development, culture and home craft).

St Ponsiano Choir leading the singing during mass.

A spectacle of Vision Group staff members and their associates during mass in Namugongo Basilica on Sunday, June 1, 2025.

The Christian faithful also celebrated the Catholic feast of the ascension of Jesus Christ into heaven.

Vision Group journalists took centre stage in the mass. They took the readings, the petitions (prayers of the faithful) and also, presented material offertory.
The mass was concelebrated by over a dozen Catholic clerics, who added colour to the spectacle.

Vision Group's Cissy Birungi reads a scripture during mass.

A staff member reading a scripture during mass.

Vision Group's Agnes Kyotalengerire reads a scripture during mass.

St Ponsiano Choir of Uganda Martyrs Basilica Namugongo animated the mass.