Justine Mugumya: Woman Who Gave Birth on Martyrs Pilgrimage Returns for Thanksgiving

Justine Mugumya, a 34-year-old mother of seven from Butebo District, is among the pilgrims still stranded at the Namugongo Catholic Shrine with no means to return home.

But her presence at this year’s Martyrs Day celebration carries more meaning than just the hardship of the journey.

Exactly one year ago, then 33 and heavily pregnant, Mugumya walked the full 226.9 kilometres from Butebo to Namugongo along with a group of over 100 fellow pilgrims.

They arrived on 31st May 2024. The very next day, she went into labour.

"I didn’t expect to have labour pains at all," she recalls.

The news of a woman giving birth at the shrine spread like wildfire last year, though her name and district remained largely unknown.

Today, sitting calmly with her child in her arms, Mugumya is more than a story—she is a mother on a mission of gratitude.

"I am grateful to everyone who helped me during that time," she says. "My daughter is now one year."

Raphaela, the child born at Namugongo, resembles her mother closely and sits quietly in her lap as the two listen to questions.

Her small face turns toward the conversation as if she already understands the meaning behind her mother’s words.

"She is my seventh child," Mugumya says, her voice steady. "And that’s why I braved the long kilometres to come back to Namugongo this year. I had to give thanks to the Lord from this exact place—for and because of her."

Asked how she managed the journey with a one-year-old, she credits the compassion of fellow pilgrims. "My group took turns helping me," she explains. "They carried bags, held the baby—whatever was needed."

Mugumya hails from D-Three village in Kapunyansi Sub-county, Butebo District. Now that the festivities are over, her focus shifts from thanksgiving to logistics.

Like many other pilgrims from eastern Uganda, including those from Pallisa, she is stranded.

With no transport fare, they are relying on either the church or their Members of Parliament to intervene.

"We are still waiting," she says. "We have nowhere to go unless someone helps."

For now, the woman who gave birth on holy ground sits in the shade of a plastic tent, clutching her daughter, waiting for a way back home.

Her story, though quietly spoken, is a testament to faith, resilience, and the journey between life, hope, and home.