Lango pilgrims' month-long trek to Namugongo a ‘humbling experience’

Pilgrims from the Northern Lango sub-region have finally arrived at the Namugongo Martyrs’ Shrines after a gruelling month-long walk, joining tens of thousands of other faithful preparing for this year’s Uganda Martyrs Day on Tuesday, June 3.

Among those who welcomed and encouraged them on the final leg of their journey was Jane Frances Acilo, an aspirant for the Oyam District Woman MP seat in the 2026 elections.

On Thursday, May 29, Acilo met the pilgrims at St Francis Catholic Parish in Matugga, Wakiso District, where she spent the day praying, conversing, and offering support to the weary travellers.

Describing the encounter as both “humbling” and “spiritually uplifting,” Acilo said the devotion shown by the Lango pilgrims reaffirmed her belief in the power of faith and sacrifice.

“They have been walking for almost a month, which is a commendable job. They have faced a lot of challenges to get to this point. So it was very important to come and stand with them, support them and give them some water and some little encouragement as they near the end of their journey,” she said.

“The walk of faith is a personal journey,” she added. “But to witness people expressing their faith is very humbling. When I interact with the pilgrims and see the level of faith they have, I see that there is a greater power that leads us in the things that we do.”

Acilo, who hails from a devout Christian family, donated support worth Shs6 million to the Catholic pilgrims and the religious leaders accompanying them.

She also distributed her own branded mineral water, which some pilgrims light-heartedly referred to as “holy water” and received as a source of renewed strength.

From St Francis Parish, Acilo also visited Anglican pilgrims camped at St Peter’s Lwadda in Matugga. She encouraged them to stay committed in their faith and promised to join them again during the climactic moments of the pilgrimage on Martyrs Day.

Her message resonated with reflections on the meaning of Martyrs Day itself. “The martyrs gave their lives so we can be able to go to church,” Acilo said.

“Christianity could have been a banned religion if they had not given their lives for this cause. It is therefore important for us to celebrate them and recognise the role that they played for us to be able to practice our faiths.”

While her presence at the pilgrimage site was primarily a gesture of solidarity and faith, Acilo also used the occasion to speak to her people back in Oyam.

She urged residents to embrace a new political and economic direction, founded on improved livelihoods and self-reliance.

“To the people of Oyam, this is a new season for a new leadership,” she said.

“It is time to embrace new ideas; it is time to focus on changing the livelihoods of the people, increasing household incomes and aspiring for a better future.”

Uganda Martyrs Day commemorates the 22 Catholic and 23 Anglican converts executed between 1885 and 1887 on the orders of Kabaka Mwanga II.

Today, the annual event draws pilgrims from across Uganda and beyond, many of whom trek long distances as an act of penance and spiritual renewal.

The Lango group, among the earliest to begin their journey, endured weeks of walking across districts and regions, braving rain, heat, exhaustion, and blisters.

Their arrival at Namugongo marked not just a physical milestone but a testament to their deep-rooted faith and sense of community.

As the celebrations draw near, the pilgrims are now camped near the Martyrs Shrines, preparing for prayers, Mass, and the commemoration of the young men whose sacrifice laid the foundation for Christianity in Uganda.

With visitors from across East Africa and beyond expected to flood Namugongo in the coming days, this year’s celebrations are once again poised to blend spiritual devotion with national reflection — and, for many like Acilo, a renewed sense of purpose.