Over 400 pilgrims from Buhweju District in Mbarara Archdiocese have arrived at Namugongo after walking 330 kilometres on foot for eleven days, led by their area Member of Parliament, Francis Mwijukye.
The group reached Nalukolongo on Friday evening, preparing to enter the Martyrs’ Shrine in time for the national celebrations on June 3.
The annual journey, undertaken in honour of the Uganda Martyrs, took on added meaning this year as the pilgrims linked their physical endurance to a broader spiritual and political message.
Mwijukye, a vocal opposition legislator, described the pilgrimage as not only an act of faith but also a symbolic demand for justice in Uganda.
"This pilgrimage isn't just about walking," Mwijukye said. "It's about showing our faith, honouring the martyrs, and making a statement about the need for justice in our country."
The pilgrims included people of all ages, among them 10-year-old Amon Ahereza, who was one of the youngest in the group.
Many participants carried placards bearing scripture and slogans calling for truth, fairness, and accountability.
Along the route, which normally takes seven hours by bus, the group passed through several towns and rural trading centres, receiving food, water, and encouragement from well-wishers.
The 11-day journey subjected the pilgrims to extreme heat, fatigue, and injury.
Some developed blisters and leg pain, but continued on, drawing strength from their religious convictions and the sacrifices of the 45 Christian converts executed under Kabaka Mwanga between 1885 and 1887.
Their stories, Mwijukye said, remain relevant to modern Uganda.
“The challenges have been immense,” he said. “But the spirit of the martyrs has kept us going. Their sacrifice reminds us of the price of freedom and the importance of standing up for what is right.”
He urged the government to reflect on the example of the martyrs, who were killed for their beliefs, and to recommit to values of truth and accountability.
Without naming names, Mwijukye alluded to recent events involving the country’s leadership, saying Martyrs’ Day should prompt national introspection.
While the pilgrims rested at Nalukolongo, emotions ran high. Some sang hymns, others knelt in silent prayer, and a few wept.
For them, arriving in Namugongo is not just a culmination of physical effort, but a continuation of a deeper, spiritual mission.
“This isn’t just about reaching the shrine,” said one elderly pilgrim. “It’s about what we are asking God for — peace, justice, and leaders who fear Him.”
As Uganda prepares to host thousands of pilgrims from across the country and beyond for Martyrs’ Day, the Buhweju pilgrims’ story stands out for its blend of faith and activism.
Their walk to Namugongo, grounded in religious tradition, has also become a platform for political expression and communal hope.
The final leg of their journey will take them to the Catholic and Anglican shrines, where they will join in prayers, Mass, and national commemorations.
For Mwijukye and his fellow pilgrims, the walk from Buhweju to Namugongo may have ended — but the call for justice, they say, must continue.
