By Timothy Okurut
At exactly 9:30am, the procession of clergy walked into the main sanctuary of the Anglican Shrine in Namugongo to open the 2026 Martyrs Day Celebrations, a service reshaped by public health reality.
Due to the Ebola scare, organisers were forced to hold the celebrations “scientifically,” with strict adherence to Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) of social distancing, mandatory sanitising, and reduced physical contact.
The result was a shrine that looked different from years past. Row after row of plastic chairs sat empty, spaced deliberately to keep pilgrims apart. The usual sea of bodies stretching toward the highway was replaced by measured gaps. Pilgrims who made the journey sanitised hands at every entrance and kept a distance even during the event.
The day’s sermon was delivered by the Archbishop, His Grace, the Most Reverend Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu. He began by extending gratitude to different institutions that supported the organisation of the celebrations. “I want you to appreciate UCU, the organizers of these celebrations, they have done a great job in beautifying this place.” He appreciated the Government of Uganda for their financial contribution towards the celebrations. “They sent us two billion shillings and the money has been well spent.”
In his sharing, Rev. Mugalu encouraged the pilgrims to keep their faith anchored on Christ, saying that the martyrs accepted their death and persecution only because they were anchored in Christ. “The persecution was meant to erase Christianity, but instead, it promoted it.”
He also stated that being anchored in Christ promotes unity. “The sacrifice of the martyrs broke the barriers of religion,” he said. Mugalu narrated the ordeal the martyrs faced, being dragged on their backs to their execution site, before being burnt together, 23 Catholic and 22 Anglican. “Both the Anglican and Catholic were burnt together, and their remains are together.”
He quoted a scripture from Romans 8:35, saying challenges will come to test how well Christians are anchored. But he affirmed the faith of the pilgrims saying that being anchored in Christ is a recipe for success. “If we’re anchored in Christ, we shall be more than conquerors.”
He further stated that the Uganda martyrs also broke the veil of tribe and region. “It is believed that some were coming from different tribes, most of them were Baganda, we had Banyoro, Basoga, Acholi and other tribes represented in the Kabaka’s palace staff.”
Addressing the pilgrims, Vice Chancellor of UCU, Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi also extended his gratitude to partners for the support received before giving an account for the work that has been done in the site. “I would like to thank the Government of Uganda and the university council for enabling us undertake the transformational work here by giving us the funds.”
He also urged pilgrims to meditate on the sacrifice of the martyrs and draw lessons out of it. “The message of the martyrs is timeless because human beings will always search for meaning in their lives.”
The Guest of Honor, Hon. Katumba Wamala, reiterated the message of the Archbishop in his speech. “Let’s break those walls, the walls of political differences, the walls of religious differences, the walls which are artificial.” He further cautioned pilgrims and the nation at-large to steward the country better. “On this day when we’re celebrating the martyrs who sacrificed their lives, my call upon all Ugandans is let’s also be able to sacrifice the little when we’re called upon for the service of our country.”
