By Sulphine Mbambu Bonabana
The 2025 Martyrs Day celebration was held on June 3rd at the Anglican site in Namugongo under the theme “Lord, Increase Our Faith,”. The event attracted thousands of pilgrims from across Uganda and President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni also attended the celebration and events at the Anglican Shrine in Namugongo.
For Rev. Canon Paul Wasswa Ssembiro, chaplain of Uganda Christian University (UCU), it was a moment of joy and pride as he translated the sermon which Bishop Henry Luke Orombi, the former Archbishop of the Church of Uganda gave, at the event at the Anglican Shrine.
Chaplain Ssembiro translated the sermon from English to Luganda, ensuring that the bishop’s message resonated clearly especially with members of the congregation who were not fluent in English. His role helped bridge the gap in order to help enhance their spiritual experience.
When we spoke to him about the experience, he revealed that he was notified about two months before the event.
“I found about six weeks to two months before the event that I would be the translator, from Bishop Professor Alfred Olwa the Chairperson, University Council,” he said.
In preparing for the occasion, Chaplain Ssembiro said he focused on both spiritual and practical readiness.
“The texts from which the preaching would be done were shared so I acquainted myself with them to get familiar with the word. But having translated for Bishop Orombi before prepared me for the D-Day,” he explained.
Though he has translated in other church settings before, translating on Martyrs Day was particularly overwhelming as he was standing before thousands of people to transmit the word.
“I have done translation before for Archbishop Mpalanyi Nkoyoyo the first chancellor of UCU, Bishop Kazimba Mugalu and many others, but this was different. This was national sacred ground,” he added.
Held annually, Martyrs Day brings together Christians from across the country for a service marked by worship, prayer, and remembrance of the brave men who died for their faith.
Reflecting on the day, Ssembiro shared the moment that stood out most to him.
“What touched me deeply was the unity. Seeing thousands of believers worshipping together was powerful. It reminded me that faith truly connects us all,” he said.
He admitted that one of the greatest challenges was preserving the emotional and spiritual depth of the message while ensuring clarity in Luganda.
“English humor is not easily translatable in vernacular. Some words like loyalty and consent were difficult to translate. I’m still searching for a Luganda phrase that fully captures the meaning of loyalty,” he said.
Looking ahead, Uganda Christian University is set to lead the 2026 Martyrs Day celebration, a role that Chaplain Ssembiro describes as a “sacred responsibility.”
“It means the nation will be looking to us not just to organise, but to spiritually guide such a massive, meaningful event. It’s an opportunity for UCU to live out its Christian values in the public space. If we do well, then there will be ambassadors to market UCU to their different constituencies,” he said.
When asked how UCU is preparing, Ssembiro said planning was going to be done.
“We will be guided by the Vice Chancellor but first and foremost, we are going to form committees, involve students and staff, and work with the wider Church of Uganda. Most importantly, we need to start planning early,” he shared.
