Uganda Police Force has announced that no pilgrims will be allowed to trek to Namugongo Martyrs Shrine ahead of the Ugandan Martyrs Day slated for 3rd June 2021.
While addressing the weekly police press conference at Naguru in Kampala, Fred Enanga the police spokesperson says only 200 guests have been invited to attend the events, due to the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic.
This year, the Catholic Church commemorates 135 years since King Mwanga put the Ugandan martyrs to death. This is the second Martyrs Day to be commemorated scientifically, the first one having been last year during the first wave of the pandemics.
“We would like to remind the thousands of pilgrims and other faith based tourists from upcountry as well as from the immediate neighboring countries of the DRC, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, South Sudan and Burundi, not to trek the long distance they usually do for this pilgrimage but instead follow the religious celebrations on TV, Radio and other digital platforms” Enanga said.
He urged the 200 invitees to cooperate with security especially at different checkpoints.
Enanga noted that while this may not be a high priority with no specific threats directed towards the celebrations, the joint security teams have secured the event with a mix of the usual overt, covert and surveillance teams deployed in and around the venue.
President Yoweri Museveni is expected to attend the celebrations on Thursday this week.'
