The government has allowed for this year’s Martyr’s day celebrations to be open to all, Rt. Rev. Dr Robert Muhiirwa the Bishop of Fort portal diocese has said.
Bishop Muhiirwa says that following a series of meetings between church leaders, officials from the Ministry of Health and the Office of the Prime Minister, it was agreed to lift all restrictions on the celebrations.
Since the COVID-19 outbreak in March 2020, the government suspended all public gatherings including religious events, which affected the martyr’s day activities.
The government lifted the restrictions and fully reopened the economy but the church has been uncertain on whether or not it would allow full attendance of the Martyr’s day celebrations, which attract hundreds of thousands of people from all walks of life-in and outside of the country.
According to Dr Patrick Birungi the Executive Director of Uganda Development Cooperation who is also the vice-chairperson of the organizing community, following the green light from the government, pilgrims from the region and internationally are free to attend the event.
However, Dr Birungi says that the regional and international pilgrims will have to meet international travel requirements as stipulated by the ministry of health.
“Those who will come for pilgrimage from neighbouring countries are advised to look out for travel requirements, which will include among other negative COVID-19 PCR tests taken within time frames as guided by the health ministry, those with vaccination certificates should also move with them,” said Dr Birungi.
Bishop Muhiirwa, who is also the vice-chairperson of the Uganda Episcopal Conference says that Although attendance will be open to all as it was before the COVID-19 pandemic, there will be strict enforcement of the Standard Operating Procedures-SOPs set by the health ministry including social distancing, washing of hands and wearing a facial mask.
He says that they will also deploy several people to take the body temperature of the pilgrims while others will be patrolling to enforce the recommended social distance.
Rev Fr Richard Bomeera who is in charge of liturgical preparations for the event notes that Fort portal which last organized the martyrs' event 25 years ago is planning a super event.
They have assembled a choir of 300 people, which has started residential training from Friday to Sunday of every week.
