Namugongo Heats Up For Martyrs Day As Anglican Site Grapples With Space.
The Anglican Martyrs Site Namugongo is grappling with space to host thousands of pilgrims expected to flock Namugongo on 3rd June to celebrate the Uganda Martyrs Day as original grounds are still hoarded off for construction works of the Martyrs Amphitheatre which is going on.
Celebrations have been shifted to annex grounds and events splinted into four days to mitigate crowding. Pilgrims will not access the holy water this time and our reporter tells why!
As the clock ticks to the 3rd June Uganda Martyrs Day celebrations, preparations are in high gear at the Anglican site in Namugongo to refurbish the venue to befitting standards. This time the Anglican site is grappling with space as construction works for the Martyrs Amphitheatre are still midway to accommodate pilgrims. Prayers will take place at annex grounds which are being graded to acceptable standards. The organizing committee toured the venue today.
In that regard the church has segmented Martyrs’ day celebrations into four categories, starting with the children’s day on May 28, Youths’ day on May 29, and Women and Conferences on June second. Rev Esau Bbosa Kimangye the Assistant Vicar of Namugongo Martyrs Site explains that segments are done to mitigate and reduce crowds anticipated on 3rd June.
Kimangye has also announced that this time pilgrims will not access the holy water since the spring wells at the Anglican shrine have been hoarded off within the construction site of the Amphitheatre. He asked the public to bear with the situation at least for this year alone.
Pilgrims are expected to start flocking in at the end of this week. Mary Karooro Okurut, the former minister of general duties in OPM who works as the Publicity Secretary of the organizing committee of the Great Ankole Dioceses, noted that they expect over 20,000 pilgrims to gather at Namugongo Anglican site.
The first full blast Martyrs’ day celebrations after the Covid-19 induced lockdown will be celebrated under the theme “Hope Beyond Affliction”. President Yoweri Museveni is expected as a Chief Guest.
