Over 52 pilgrims still stranded at Namugongo

By John Agaba, Sarah Nakamwa and Andrew Ssenyonga

VICTORIA Awori is one of the over 3 million pilgrims who journeyed from all over the world to pay tribute to the 45 Uganda Martyrs killed on Kabaka Mwanga’s orders.

Little did the 75-year-old woman know that after the celebrations concluded she wouldn’t find her way home to Busaana village in Kayunga parish, Kayunga district — she would be stuck in the vast neighborhood of the Uganda Martys.

Veronica Nyamujumba is another of the over 3 million pilgrims who attended the Wednesday prayers.

Like Awori, 80-year-old Nyamujumba didn’t know that she would be stranded at Namugongo after Bishop Giuseppe Franzelli from Lira diocese, who was the main celebrant, concluded the prayers. 

Avanciyo Ainebyona from Rukungiri is one of those stranded at Kira Division Police Station after getting lost from his parents at Namugongo. Photo by Hakeem Twinomugabe

They had come to praise and to give thanks to God for the Uganda Martyrs, not to get stranded.

The two are examples of tens of others equally old and helpless women and men, huddled under the Pilgrims Tent at Namugongo, stranded.

Awori said she came with a group of 35 Christians from their parish to commemorate the day she had always wanted to commemorate since she was a little girl. 

“There was a lot of pushing at the gates (as we tried to get out of the Shine after the prayers). Someone knocked my jerry can of (holy) water. When I went to pick it my group had gone.”

A mother and her child take a nap with her merchandise on display. Photo by Tabitha Moraa

She’s been looking for them. Up to today (Thursday) she hasn’t seen anyone.

Veronica Nyamujumba from Mabira parish, Kyenjojo district, said they had boarded a taxi from their home church in Mabira with her parishioners, but when the celebrations concluded, she could no longer locate any of them.

Dennis Musisi Lutwama, the in-charge of the Lost and Found at the Pilgrims Desk in Namugongo, said they had recorded over 48 cases of pilgrims who can’t trace their way back. Police said they had recorded 52 cases. Some are from Tanzania, Kenya and here in Uganda.

“Their people left them or they were pick-pocketed and they don’t have transport back to their homes. We are trying to link them with other pilgrims who might be heading in their destinations,” said Lutwama.

Pilgrims from Lira dancing before returning home.  Photo by Tabitha Moraa

However, Awori lamented that she had not eaten anything since Tuesday. She does not have a coin on her. She does not know anyone in Kampala. She does not have a phone.

But, that aside, there were hundreds of pilgrims still around the Martyrs Shrine, singing and praying. There was a group of women from Arua diocese dancing outside the Catholic Shrine as they awaited their bus. Business outside the Shrine was back to normal, with the ‘leftovers’ from the celebrations, having already been cleaned.

Francis Muwonge, the administrative secretary at the Catholic Shrine, said they had the best ever Uganda Martyrs Day Celebrations. He said that they had learnt from the previous celebrations and perfected the script this time round.

“Everything happened as planned. We had a challenge of lack of enough toilets, where pilgrims had to queue. But the celebrations were highly successful and peaceful,” Muwonge said.

Some of the suspects arrested at Namugongo during Martyrs Day celebrations. Photo by Hakeem Twinomugabe

Police spokesperson, Fred Enanga, said 142 people were arrested over various offences during the Wednesday celebrations, but nothing comparable to the over 250 cases registered the previous celebrations.

Many of the arrested were involved in petty crimes such as, pick-pocketing, assault, impersonation, possession of suspected stolen property, among others. The arrested will be produced in Court on Friday.

“We had deployed at least 50,000 officers, both covert and overt, to ensure peaceful celebrations,” said Enanga.

Police deployment was supported by the Joint Anti- Terrorism Police and Special Forces Command plus the Uganda People’s Defense Forces. No major crime cases were reported. This was a milestone.

Enanga said the Traffic and Mobile Police Patrol units would remain on guard around the Martyrs’ Shrines to ensure nothing alters their record.