On 3rd June every year about one million people from all over Africa and from as far as USA, Germany and other parts of the world, flock to the Namugongo Shrine in Kampala-Uganda, to commemorate the 24 Catholic and 23 Anglican Uganda martyrs. I do not know of any other place on this continent which on a single day every year attracts such a huge gathering!
The Uganda martyrs are indeed a symbol of unity of God’s people regardless of creed, race, tribe, colour or nationality.
These heroes who shed their blood for Christ came from different tribes of Uganda. Both Catholics and Protestants were stentenced together to death, bundled together and burnt alive together. There is no greater symbol of unity and ecumenism than this!
Belonging to different denominations and tribes was no cause of division and hatred among them! The love they had for Christ did not allow this to happen. In life and death they love each other. As in their earthly life they served the same king, Kabaka Mwanga who killed them, in their faith with extraordinary love they served the one God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the creator of the universe.
The worst desease we have on the African continent is not the incurable AIDS but chronic tribalism or negative ethnicity.
Tribalism has deep roots in every country of Africa from Libya in the North to South Africa and Zimbabwe in the South. From Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi in the East to Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) in the West! Because tribalism has found a comfortable home in our political parties and governments, and unfortunately in our churches too, it is a constant source of conflict and instability on the continent.
When one tribe tries to dominate others, to reduce them to salves or second class citizens, conflict is inevitable! In war torn Libya, the political dominance of one tribe is partly to blame for the on going conflict there. The recent civil war in Côte d’Ivoire is the fruit of tribalism, the 2007-2008 Kenya violence is also a fruit of negative ethnicity, the 1994 Rwanda genocide and the bloody histories of Uganda, Burundi and Democratic Republic of Congo are work of tribalism!
In the Uganda martyrs we find the medicine and vaccination against this negative ethnicity. These martyrs who lived together harmoniously and worked together in peace in the king’s palace originated from different ethnic groups! For example : Mathias Mulumba was a Musoga by tribe, Charles Lwanga was a Muganda by tribe and Andrew Kagwa was a Munyoro by tribe, and in the palace he was loving and jokingly called «Munyoro!»
So God in his kindness gave us these martyrs from different tribes to teach us that although we are from different ethnic groups, were are all his childred and he loves us equally. We should therefore love one another and live in harmony and peace as children of the same Father. He gave the grace of martyrdom equally to people of diverse ethnic groups. Before him we are all equal!
In fact these martyrs are a great gift not only to Uganda and East Africa but also to Africa as whole. For they have already started working out the miracle we are all longing to see, namely : regional and continental union of Africa! On 3 June, pilgrims from all over East Africa go to Namugongo! Many walk all the way from Mombasa-Kenya to Kampala! So Namugongo Shrine is a place of unity for the East Africans.
At the continental level the unity of Africa is also visible at the martyrs Shrine Namugongo! For people from all over Africa are represented there! This year for example the following are some of the countries from where the pilgrims came : Nigeria, Zambia, Malawi, Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa and Southern Sudan.
And it is very interesting to note that the Preacher at the Anglican Martyrs’ Shrine was Pastor Steven Mwangi from Kenya. And last year the Preacher was also from outside of Uganda, he was Dr. Chad Gandiya the Bishop of Harare Church of the Province of Central Africa. This is really very good. And I request the Catholics to follow suit! They could organize in such a way that the preacher comes from outside of Uganda. These martyrs are for the whole of Africa and beyond.
And since both the Catholic and Protestant martyrs lived to gether and were killed together, I propose and appeal to the Catholic and Protestant Bishops in Uganda to make arrangements so that at least every two years we have a joint martyrs’ day celebration! This will enable us relive the ecumenical spirit of the Uganda martyrs! And it might eventually lead to total union.
In the years between the joint commemoration, Catholics and Protestants should send representatives to each other’s celebrations.
With the prayers for the beatification of the late Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, the first President of Tanzania, taking place every year at Namugongo Shrine, the Uganda martyrs are gaining political importance. The prayers are organized by Maria Nyerere the wife of the late President Nyerere in coordination with the Tanzanian and Ugandan governments and the Catholic Church in both countries. Last year the President of Tanzania himself Kikwete was present at the prayers!
Like last year President Museveni attended this year’s prayers for Nyerere. And he took this ocassion to inform the world that Nyerere was the greatest African that ever lived. The Ugandan news paper the New Vision, thus reported him saying, «I am happy when I speak of Nyerere because I am his supporter. I said he was the greatest black man that ever lived. There are other black men such as Mandela, Kwame Nkrumah; but Nyerere is the greatest black man that ever lived.» And in addition he said, «we shall continue coming to Namugongo to pray for the beatification and finally for the Mwalimu’s canonization. If we continue knocking and asking, Rome will open for us.»
The importance of the Uganda martyrs to Africa and the whole world, challages the political establishment in Uganda to do more on the beautification, maintance and protection of both the Catholic and Protestant Shrines! For this is an international ground now!
I am happy Museveni is clearly aware of this international nature of Namugongo. For last year 2010, he made important promises relative to the two Shrines. He celebrated the martyrs’ day with our Anglican brothers and sisters. Of his financial promise to the Church of Uganda, the Ugandan news paper the New Vision reported, «Museveni pledged sh100m towards the beautification of the martyrs’ site to match the standards of the side of the Catholic Church. He caused laughter when he said the bush behind the martyrs’ shrine was cursing the Church of Uganda. He asked the clergy to clear it.» For the Catholics among other things he pledge sh229m for the construction of a perimeter wall aroung the church.
I propose that the government of Uganda secures according to the laws of justice, all the land in between and around the two shrines and encircle them in one single well constructed stone- fence. This will make security easier for the place. And strong big gates like those on olympic stadiums could be constructed along the fence for getting in and out to reduced the chaos and stampede at Namugongo. And there will be enough room inside for the ever growing number of pilgrims.
As we continue to honour and commemorate the Uganda martyrs every year, may our Lord Jesus Christ through their intercession answer the prayers and needs of all those who go to Namugongo to pray. May he through their intercession protect and guide our religious and political leaders. And shower his blessing upon all people, believers and non believers of every race, colour, tribe and nationality under the sun.
Dominic Vincent Nkoyoyo
Monastery Val Notre-Dame, Canada.
