The Uganda Martyrs shrine is a faith based tourism site in Uganda in Namungongocenter of the Capital city ofUganda. The shrine can accommodate up to 1000 people at a time, the shrine is just about east of Kampala. The shrine is a one stop over point for tourists visiting Uganda.
In June of 1986 the then Kabaka of Buganda Kingdom ordered the killing of the locals who had abandoned their local traditions and faith to follow the western Christian religion, the murdering followed their refusal to denounce the new Christian faith.
The total number of converts killed by the Kabaka Mwanga II was 32 youth. The Basilica was built to dedicate to the Ugandan Martyrs and was consecrated in April 1993. The building of the shrine began in 1967 and was completed in 1975. The building is in form of an African hut architectural design.
The Namungo Martyrs shrine hold national prayers every year on the 3rd of June, Ugandans and the whole world gather in Namungongo to commemorate the death the UgandaMartyrs. The number of people who normally attend the event is quite over whelming up to 2 million people can be seen here every third of June.
Twenty two of the Namungongo shrine Martyrs were canonized on the 18th of October 1964 by Pope Paul IV who declared the Martyrs as saints of the Catholic Church. A small lake was also excavated at the shrine with a small island with a motor boat shape; there is a deck like area that’s a pavilion for holy Mass and the cabin like area acts as a sacrice.
The late Joshua Serufasa Zake was the first to construct a structure at the Namungongo martyrs; he was born in the year 1984 just before the Uganda Martyrs were murdered.He had passion for Christian faith just like his father who was renowned for his ambitions in bringing Christianity to the country.
15 of the Uganda Martyrs were burnt alive while others were slowly tortured and later killed brutally, in the recent years people walk for miles from even neighboring counties and barefooted in honor of the Uganda Martyrs, some of pilgrims to Namungongo fetch water from the small excavated lake and have testified that the waters in this lake heal several diseases.
The area surrounding the shrine has got beautiful gardens in a pristine environment good for relaxing an meditation, where the shrine is located used to be the position where one of the youngest Martyrs known as Charles Lwanga was burnt alive.
Paul John Paul II also visit the Namungongo Martyrs shrine in 1993, his six days visit increased the number of religious tourists visiting the shrine, adjacent to the Namungongo Martyrs shrine is also the Anglican Marty’s shrine
When visiting the Namungo Martyrs shrine, tourists can also visit other cultural sites found within Kampala such as Kasubi tombs, Wamala Tomas and many more historical sites.
Tourists visiting the Namungongo Martyrs shrine can sleep in various accommodation units found within Kampala such as Serena hotel, Hotel Africana, Sheraton hotel and many more.
Namungongo Martyrs shrine can be accessed in less than an hour from the city centre it’s approximately 15 kilometers from Kampala.
