According to the information got from one of the government officials reveal that the Namugongo Martyrs Shrine is just about to be included on the lists of Uganda’s tourists’ attractions. According to the source, this holy place will be upgraded to the standards of being a pilgrimage sites just like Rome in Italy or Mecca in Saudi Arabia. Naava Nabagesera, special presidential assistant said that the Government will be involved in all the activities that will take place on 3rd June while they remember the Uganda Martyrs.
She added that the Government together with the religious leaders are working hard to see that this day (Martyrs Day) has a great impact on most of the people from all over the world and therefore would be willing to pay a certain amount of money just to visits the site where the martyrs were buried. This will also help to promote Uganda to the level of the best tourist destination in addition to the other tourists attractions like the wildlife so said Naava while talking to a reporter yesterday at the Media Centre in Kampala.
Thousands of Christians go to Namugoongo to remember those people who died under the rule of Kabaka Mwanga II in 1886 following their refusal to renounce their faith. That is an overwhelming number which makes Martyrs Day the most recognized event in Uganda which attracts people from all parts of the world and this time; there are more than 1.6 million people who are expected to go to Namugongo.
There is a recently formed a taskforce by the President called the Presidential Initiative on Sustainable Tourism (PRESTO) and it has been formed to help coordinate all the work that the government will be doing to promote that place. They have with abolishing the sale of alcohol and food items along the road, tuning that very loud music has also been forbidden this time round.
This year, the Muslims too will be involved especially because there were about 70 Muslims who were killed before the Christian which is why the Muslims will also remember those people on Friday. Naava also told New Vision that all ministries will have to produce budget allocation for the 3 June event and this will be effective next financial year. UMEME has been asked to keep lights on through, while the roads authority has got to work the road to the shrines before the day.
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