KAMPALA – The Uganda Tourism Board is ready to continue supporting the church in organizing the Uganda Martyrs Day celebrations to enable the pilgrims have a fulfilling experience at the Martyrs Shrine in Namugongo.
Deputy Chief Executive, Bradford Ochieng, told journalists at the Uganda Catholic Secretariat on Thursday, May 23, that UTB the inspiration for faith drawn from the bravery of the Uganda Martyrs should not be something that is focused on only on June 3, but all year around.
“We are happy to support the church in organizing this day, such that the pilgrims get a fulfilling experience,” he said.
Mr Ochieng announced that the UTB would support this year’s celebration by the Catholic Church with cash and other items estimated at Shs 96 million. Part of the money is to support the Public Address System and daylight screens.
Archbishop John Baptist Odama, whose Gulu Archdiocese is leading this year’s celebrations thanked the government and UTB for the support to the celebrations.
“[I would like to thank] the Uganda Tourism Board, through their newly appointed Chief Executive Officer Ms. Lilly Ajarova, who have committed to partner with the Organizing Committee through the Uganda Episcopal Conference, to support the budgets for the Day Light Screens, the Public Address System and the publicity materials for the celebration,” he said.
Archbishop Odama said the Uganda Martyrs Day celebration was a great opportunity for the Archdiocese of Gulu as a family, together with the faithful in Uganda and the Universal Church, to learn from the Martyrs’ faithfulness and obedience to Jesus Christ (Matthew 24:13), and to seek their intercession.
“It is a moment of spiritual renewal as we strive to preach the gospel and fight the evils in our society today,” the Archbishop said.
Uganda Martyrs Day is celebrated every June 3 in Uganda. Gulu Archdiocese was selected by the Uganda Episcopal Conference to lead the 2019 celebrations.
