By Leonard Akida Kamugisha
Beautifully decorated Namugongo martyrs shrine
Chairman Uganda Episcopal Conference, Bishop Anthony Zziwa of Kiyinda Mityana, has urged Bishops at Namugongo to take up actions on campaigns against kaveera ‘polythene bags’ in their respective diocesses as one of the means to protect conserve the env’t and promoting good health in the country.
Bishop Zziwa said these while addressing the congregations at Namugongo Catholic Martyrs Shrine where hundreds and thousands of pilgrims turned up for this year’s Uganda martyrs celebration. He applauded pilgrims for honouring to episcopal voices by not carrying kaveera to Namugongo.
The Namugongo kaveera free is a campaign by Uganda’s leading local television station NBS in proud partnership with Vivo Energy Uganda, NEEMA aimed at protecting the environment as well as marking an end to kaveera use in the country. The campaign ; ” Tube Ku Kaveera” (as dubbed) started last year and has gradually registered steady progress since a lot of companies, institutions have shown passion in the campaign- most recent being the Namugongo.
Among the congregation included; H. E Edward K. Ssekandi Vice President of Uganda who represented the president, Pontif Nuncio in Uganda, Catholic Bishops from all Dioceses in Uganda, Bishops from Malawi and Nigeria and Congo Brazzaville Foreign minister among other dignitaries.
While reading the presidential message says the martyrs day boosts tourism sector and promised a mammoth of believers that government shall continue supporting church development projects in the country.
“I want to congratulate both the Catholic and Anglican church for a good role played. This will boost the tourism sector in the country. The government of Uganda will continue supporting the church,” Ssekandi said.
Gulu Archdiocese animated this year’s martyr’s celebrations on the catholic side and over 350 people are estimated to have pilgrimages from all dioceses that make up Gulu archdiocese to Namugongo. Other pilgrims were from other parts of Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, DR Congo.
