Martyrs Day: Pilgrims barred from attending the Namugongo fete

Uganda will be celebrated Martyrs Day on 3rd June at Namugongo in memory of a group of 23 Anglican and 22 Catholic converts to Christianity in the historical kingdom of Buganda, now part of Uganda, who were executed between 31 January 1885 and 27 January 1887.

Tens of thousands of pilgrims have convened in Namugongo – a site many in the Anglican and Catholic religions consider holy – to show their devotion to the martyrs that sacrificed their lives on behalf of the church under the instructions of the then Kabaka of Buganda, Mwanga II.

As pilgrims from all walks of life travelled to Uganda, the Rwandans will miss this sacred opportunity due to a diplomatic feud between Rwanda and Uganda.

It’s alleged that Rwandan authorities blocked pilgrims to attend Martyr’s day fete in Kampala.

Sources at the Border points have revealed that different groups who were trekking to Namugongo from various parts of Rwanda were barred from crossing to Uganda by Rwandan army stationed at the border post.

The row between the two neighbouring countries has been simmering for the past two years but seems to have escalated when Rwanda closed its borders recently.

Both countries have traded accusations of interference in each other‘s affairs.

The annual celebrations have attracted 330 pilgrims from Tanzania, 300 from Kenya, 110 from Malawi, 63 from South Africa, 7 from Japan and 40 from Nigeria.

This year marks 55 years since the Martyrs were canonised by Pope Paul VI and 134 years since they were executed on orders of Mwanga II, the Kabaka of Buganda at the time

Rwanda accuses Uganda of supporting rebel groups trying to oust the government in Kigali.

Uganda has dismissed the allegations from Rwanda as false.

The celebrations are to last for a week.

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