Catholic Church to assist stranded pilgrims at Namugongo shrine after the Martyrs’ Day celebrations

Summary:

• The Catholic Church has pledged to assist stranded pilgrims at Namugongo shrine after the Martyrs’ Day celebrations. Many pilgrims, including those who trekked to the shrine, were left without transportation back home. Tanzanian pilgrims were praised for cleaning the shrine voluntarily.

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KAMPALA, (Examiner) – After the annual June 3 Martyrs’ Day celebrations at the Namugongo shrine, the Catholic Church has made a commitment to assist stranded pilgrims in their journey back home. Vincent Lubega, the Parish Catholic priest at Namugongo, shared that many pilgrims have approached his office seeking transport help, some even unable to remember which diocese they came from. In response, he proposed a plan to organize transport for these individuals according to their dioceses of origin to ensure they reach their destinations safely and receive further assistance upon arrival.

As of Tuesday evening, more than 100 pilgrims, particularly those who had trekked to the shrine, were still stuck without a means to return home. One such pilgrim, Joyce Likicoru from Arua, found herself stranded along with 35 others after the bus they had arranged failed to show up for the scheduled pick-up following the commemoration. Despite the setback, Likicoru remained hopeful that their transportation would be resolved soon.

Over at the Anglican site, a few stranded pilgrims, including Joan Kenyonyozi from Bushenyi, were observed moving between the police post and church offices seeking assistance. Kenyonyozi, who had walked with a group of pilgrims, explained her predicament of lacking the funds to travel back home and was relying on promised mobile money from a friend, who was unreachable at the time.

John Misago, an 86-year-old pilgrim from Luwero, shared how he was left behind by his group after seeking treatment at a nearby health facility for injuries sustained during the journey. Misago recounted the incident where he fell off a truck en route to the Catholic Martyrs’ Shrine, and upon returning from treatment, discovered his companions had departed without him. Police officers at the shrine were actively trying to arrange transportation for him back to Luwero District.

On a positive note, Tanzanian pilgrims received praise for voluntarily cleaning the shrine post the Martyrs’ Day celebrations, amidst the chaotic aftermath left by the large influx of pilgrims. Father Lubega acknowledged their efforts but mentioned that there was still much work to be done, with plans underway for continued cleaning in collaboration with Nebbi Diocese over the next week.

Meanwhile, transport fares gradually returned to normal as pilgrims gradually left Namugongo. Prices for travel from Namugongo to Kampala decreased from Shs10,000 to around Shs5,000 by Tuesday evening. Similarly, taxi and boda boda fares to various destinations showed significant reductions compared to the previous day, indicating the dispersal of pilgrims and easing of the transport situation in the area.