Health ministry deploys 13 ambulances for Martyrs Day

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The Ministry of Health has secured 13 ambulances to support emergency response during this year’s Uganda Martyrs Day celebrations, the Vicar General of Lugazi Diocese, Msgr Richard Kayondo, has revealed.

Speaking at the Uganda Martyrs Shrine in Namugongo on May 6, 2025, during the national general meeting for the preparations of Martyrs Day 2025, Msgr Kayondo said the ambulances were provided with support from the health ministry.

He noted that the host diocese, Lugazi, in coordination with the ministry, will provide the 13 ambulances to handle emergencies at both shrines — Catholic and Anglican.

“For our side (Catholics), so far 19 doctors from different hospitals and 120 medical workers have promised and been approved to cater to pilgrims, as we await others to join the group,” he said.

The ambulances will be on standby to respond to emergencies. The medical team is expected to be stationed at the shrine premises from May 25, ahead of the celebrations.

“Medical tents will be available at the shrine, and the team is ready to do the service in any situation. Let people be sure of that,” Kayondo said.

The annual celebration, which attracts millions of pilgrims from around the world, is held at the Namugongo holy site, where most of the 22 Catholic martyrs and 23 Anglican martyrs were burnt to death.

Namugongo has become an international pilgrimage site, hosting people from Africa, Asia, and Europe.

The national preparations meeting was attended by the secretary general of the Episcopal Conference, Msgr John Baptist Kauta, several priests from Lugazi, Christians, senior security officers, and other stakeholders.

Police officers after their Uganda Martyrs National preparation meeting at Uganda Martyrs premises Namugongo on Tuesday, April 29, 2025. (PHOTO BY JULIET ANNA LUKWAGO)

Lugazi Catholic Diocese has been selected to lead the forthcoming Uganda Martyrs Day celebrations, which are held annually on June 3 at Namugongo.

The 2025 celebrations will be held under the theme: “Oh Lord Let Me See Again, I your pilgrim of hope,” (Mark 10:51).

Earlier, Msgr Kayondo told New Vision that the celebrations have been allocated a budget of sh2.4b.

About the Martyrs

The annual event commemorates the heroic sacrifice of 45 young men — both Catholic and Anglican — who were executed between 1885 and 1887 for their Christian faith on the orders of Kabaka Mwanga of Buganda. Of the 45, 22 were Catholics and the rest were Anglicans.

The 22 Catholic martyrs were beatified on June 6, 1920, by Pope Benedict XV and later canonised on October 18, 1964, by Pope Paul VI.

In addition to the original 22, the Church also commemorates Blessed Daudi Okello and Jildo Irwa, catechists from northern Uganda who were killed at Paimol in 1915.

Martyrs Day programme

According to Msgr Kauta, secretary general of the Episcopal Conference, the Martyrs Day programme will commence on May 25, with the general novena, which will run until June 2. The Martyrs walk will take place on May 31, starting at Munyonyo Martyrs Shrine and ending at Old Kampala Church, where Matia Mulumba — one of the martyrs — was killed.

Meanwhile, Fr Vincent Lubega, the Rector of the shrine, said Namugongo Parish is working hard to ensure that everything is in order ahead of the event.