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BY RICHARD DRASIMAKU
ARUA: TUESDAY, MAY 6, 2025
The preparations for the June 3rd Uganda Martyrs’ Day commemoration are proceeding smoothly with the organizers expecting to achieve set targets for a colorful event.
Rt Rev Charles Collins Andaku, the bishop of Madi-West Nile Diocese said in a media briefing about the state of readiness as of Tuesday that a sh2.2 b budget has been drawn to organize the grand event spearheaded by the six dioceses in the Northern region province.
These are the Northern Uganda diocese of Gulu, Lango, West Lango, Kitgum, Nebbi and Madi-West Nile diocese.
Each of the six dioceses are expected to contribute sh20m while part of the bills will be footed by the government since the Martyrs Day is a National public holiday that President Yoweri Museveni will preside over.
The health sub-committee which is chaired by bishop Andaku has been allocated sh430 to cater for ambulance, mobile toilets, sanitary facilities and sanitizers, masks, first aid among others.
He said the Joint Medical Stores, Mengo hospital, the ministry of health and the Rotary Club of Namirembe have joined in the organization with various supports and the prelate has called upon other philanthropic and business entities to follow their lead.
This will be the 140th anniversary of the gruesome martyrdom of 23 Anglican and 22 Roman Catholic Christians on the orders of the traditional ruler of Buganda, Kabaka (King) Mwanga II between January 31, 1885 and January 27, 1887.
The Anglican church of Uganda is expecting 1,000,000 congregants to attend the celebration marked under the theme: “imitating God’s goodness by doing good,” with the Archbishop Emeritus, Rt Rev Henry Luke Orombi as the main Preacher.
Canon Onesmus Dralaga, the chairperson of the Madi-West Nile diocese organizing committee outline a number of pre-event activities that include conferences for women groups, men, youths and children and called upon the people to give time for the spiritual conferences.
However the key highlight of the pre-event activities will be the 14-to-16 day walk of faith in which about 1,200 people will officially participate in the pilgrimage.
So far 1,080 people have been registered from the five diocese excluding Nebbi, leaving a deficit of 120 people to hit the target.
Rev Julius Iza Tabi, the Director of the Uganda Christian University, Arua branch who is a member of the national worship committee emphasized the importance of the people participating in the pilgrimage.
He stated that is provides a moment for spiritual nourishment, practical contentment to faith, historical reconnection to the early spread of the gospel and reap health and environmental benefits through physical fitness and reduced pollution.
A 400 strong contingent of the choir is expected to entertain at the Anglican celebrations. But in Madi-West Nile diocese where 50 choir members will be drawn from, only 10 men are participating in the song practice at St Phillip’s church in Arua City, according to Mary Anguparu, the choir leader.
She called on the churches to send in male choir members to join the song practice so as to put up a balance during hymns.
While the choir will gather at Namugongo Martyrs’ shrine a week before the event, pilgrims from Madi-West Nile diocese are expected to join their colleagues from Nebbi on the trek where they will be lifted on buses on arrival at Pakwach to cross the Murchison Falls National Park to Karuma.
Karuma is also the meeting point for the with counterparts from Gulu and Kitgum where they will have fellowship prayers, while Lango and West Lango pilgrims will go via Apac to Nile Masindi port and emerge at River Kafu junction.
Joint night prayers will be held at St Janan School in Bombo, before the Kampala metropolitan police takes over the lead to guide the pilgrims.
On the arrival in Kampala on May 30th, the Acholi and Lango pilgrims will gather at Naguru where there is a big population of Luo speaking people for a fellowship as the West Nile team converges at St Paul’s church, Okuvu.
On June 1st, the pilgrims will move and meet at Kireka, another Kampala suburb for the grand entrance to Namugongo.
