By Ahmed Kateregga Musaazi
KAMPALA-UGANDA/NEWSDAY: Millions of Ugandan pilgrims started to converge at Uganda Martyrs Shrine, at Namugongo ahead of this week’s Martyrs Day celebrations on Friday June 3.
According to press reports, at least two million pilgrims are expected, a high number in two years after Covid 19 pandemic lockdown.
Although, Christian martyrs are the most cerebrated especially the 22 Roman Catholics led by Kalooli Lwanga and Matiya Mulumba, there are also Muslim martyrs that were executed in 1875, for rebelling Kabaka Mukaabya Walugembe Muteesa l. These Muslim martyrs were killed for declining to pray behind the king as their spiritual leader (Imaam) at Kasubi palace that was not facing Qibla, and for refusing to eat meat slaughtered un-islamically in his palace.
The Kabaka, acting on intelligence reports, had learnt of Khedive Ismail of Egypt’s plan to take over the Source of the Nile at Jinja under Equatoria Province, with a Fort at Patiko in Gulu, whose first governor was Sir Samuel Baker, then Charles Gordon, and Emin Pasha, saw the Muslims’ defiance as a symptom of rebellion.
The Kabaka, who had converted to Islam, observed the lunar Hijira calendar and fasted in the month of Ramadhan for 13 years and was fluent in Arabic and Kiswahili literacy, was so disappointed that upon meting the British explorer, Henry Murton Stanley, he wrote to Queen Victoria of England seeking alliance and requesting for teachers and missionaries. The Protestant Church Missionary Society arrived in 1877 and the Roman Catholic White Fathers from France arrived in 1879.
According to Mufti of Uganda, Sheikh Shaban Ramadhan Mubajje, Muslims perform pilgrimage only in holy cities of Mecca and Media. The rest can be tourism .
However every first Friday in the month of June a duwa (prayer) for the martyrs is held at Namugongo mosque. Unlike Shiah Muslims who adore martyrdom, Sunni Muslims are strict fearing to associate anything with Almighty Allah, to whom they pray without passing through any intermediary.
Therefore, there is no doubt that Namugongo is still a fertile ground for religious tourism and President Yoweri Museveni’s Government has injected resources in this including , uplifting the Minor Basiilicca and now the Protestant Museum under construction, and even the Islamic Center.
Of late, even the Traditionalists also observe their own ceremonies to commemorate Mukajanga, who was the chief executioner. However, it is reported that like his boss, Kabaka Daniel Basammulekkere Mwanga ll and Omukama John Kabalega, he also died a Christian. But some traditionalists and nationalists and pan Africanists praise Kabalega, Mwanga and Mukaajanja as national heroes that were fighting for Africa’s independence.
Now that Namugongo is all embracing as a religious tourism center, it is high time, it was added to Fort Portral as a Tourism city.
Wakiso and Entebbe cities are expected to commence in 2025, if it is the will of God, following the resolution of parliament in 2020. However, Wakiso remains larger and densely populated as a district and as a city.
Kira municipality and Kyaddondo East constituency, with almost 700,000 population, should be curved from Wakiso and becomes Namugongo city, a city of religious tourism. Three Popes have so far visited Namugongo, King Faisal of Saudi Arabia and other digniyories including Presidents.
Lubaga Municipality, which under 1995 constitution as amended in 2005, is Mmengo Municipality was never operationalised. The rest of regional capital municipalities like Jinja, Hoima, Gulu and Lira are now cities. Makindye Ssaabagabo and Nansana municipalities should be merged together to create Mmengo city. Mengo was the pre colonial capital of Buganda, Entebbe was the colonial capital and Kampala is the post independence capital.
Nakasongola, which is more central, with a good terrain, as flat as Nairobi, and without wetlands, should gradually become our national political capital, just like Dodoma is in Tanzania and Abuja in Nigeria.
Masaka city is not full when Bukalasa and Katigondo seminaries and Villa Maria cathedral and Bwanda Convent are out of it, so is Nkoni Kabaka’s palace, an amendment to allow a city to have more than two divisions, be done so that Masaka city expands.
Haji Ahmed Kateregga Musaazi is a veteran journalist and a Deputy City Resident Commissioner
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