Some of the children from Lira Diocese who walked to Namugongo ahead of Martyrs day
Fifteen-year-old Bashir Mwesigwa walked over 200km from Hoima to Namugongo Martyrs shrines in Wakiso district. He spent four days on the road.
The senior student decided to skip school and make a pilgrimage to Namugongo to pray for wisdom and success. This is Mwesigwa’s third pilgrimage to the site where more than 21 Ugandans were killed for their faith.
While Mwesigwa is at Namugongo, his classmates are in-class learning. According to the calendar from the Ministry of Education and Sports, learners in different educational institutions are supposed to be in school, trying to catch up after the year closure of schools due to COVID-19. The learners will break off this Friday to commemorate the Martyrs’ day.
However, many learners like Mwesigwa, skip school annually to participate in the pilgrimage walking hundreds of kilometers to Namugongo. Many of the learners believe that whatever they pray for will be granted by God because of their sacrifice.
Fourteen-year-old Bernard Tumuhiire accompanied his 66-year-old grandmother from Mbarara on the pilgrimage to pray for the intercession of the martyrs to excel in his studies. While the children trek in groups with adults, after the prayers, some are left behind. In 2019, 110 children remained stranded at Namugongo.
While going on pilgrimage is a sign of faith, some clergy and government officials are against involving children. According to them, parents should not pull children out of school to participate in the walk of faith.
Mary Karooro Okurutu, the senior presidential on public relations has called upon all parents to be responsible and bar their children from walking to Namugongo. Rev Esau Bbosa Kimanje, the Principal of Namugongo, says that allowing children to take part in the pilgrimage means they miss school which is not a good thing.
Rev Kimanje advises parents to let their children take part in the one-day activity organized for children ahead of the Martyrs day celebrations.
Vincent Lubega, a Parish Priest at the Namugongo Catholic Shrine, says that while going on pilgrimage is a sign of faith, there are other things that children can do instead of walking to profess their faith. He, however, says that they are willing to help the children pray for what they want.
Lubega encouraged parents and teachers to consider visiting the Catholic Shrine on other days and not on Martyr’s day since there is a lot of chaos.
Apart from missing school, walking long distances can also affect the health of minors, according to doctors. Dr. Elly Byaruhanga, a senior medical consultant says while walking is good, it can also be bad for minors because it can result in temporary pains and aches.
“While it can help someone to be fit, it can also result in muscle aches. Some children might fall ill or even get wounds or blisters on their feet due to too much walking. Just like anything, it should be done in moderation,” he said.
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