Pilgrimage ended up in a maternity ward

As usual the expectation and excitement were too high. Preparations for the Ugandan Martyrs day- June 3, 2015 were in top gear on the eve of the celebration. In one home at Lule Zone in Lubaga division, a woman was in the advanced stages of her pregnancy but still felt strong enough to make it to Namugongo not to be left out of the Martyrs’ Day frenzy.

After all, she had always prayed to the Ugandan Martyrs to have a successful delivery of her first born child.

It never occurred to Melisha Nabatanzi that having frequently prayed to the Ugandan Martyrs they would in return reward her by having the baby coming to this world on their day.

In this part of Kampala just a stone’s throw away from the mother of all churches - Rubaga Cathedral the talk of the area focused on nothing but the martyrs with many families spending the evening preparing meals and drinks to take to Namugongo the following morning.

The holy mass at Namugongo is always climaxed with believers feasting thanking the martyrs for renewing their faith and putting motherland Uganda on the world religious map? This usually adds real colour to this great day. In the wee hours of Saturday June 3, 2015 and as Nabatanzi’s family members were putting final touches to the mouth watering meals as they awaited a vehicle to transport them to Namugongo, a wild yell from nowhere burst out of the young lady’s bedroom.

Her family members rushed there to intervene and see what had happened that could possibly throw a spanner in the Martyrs’ Day preparation works. At first Nabatanzi’s husband, “coach” Pius Ngabo possibly thought she had been beaten by a snake. At the moment no one gave it a thought that this could be nothing but those dreaded labour pains.

So this was how the martyrs day journey hit a dead end. The vehicle destined for Namugongo shrines instead took a different direction towards the nearby Lubaga hospital. That evening Nabatanzi gave birth to a bouncing baby girl. Though tension gripped the place outside the hospital’s maternity ward before the baby came to the world.

Family members camping outside the ward were kept waiting for long hours as expectant mothers inside could be heard wailing for help. It was at this time that some family members didn’t rule out bad news even though a few others kept their faith as they prayed to the Ugandan Martyrs for intervention.

Finally some good news filtered through of a baby girl and the mother both being in good condition. This was when phone calls were made and the good news communicated to those far at home. The baby girl was later named Pyra Carol Nakyejjwe and she will be making three years tomorrow. Asked what she felt after unexpectedly giving birth on martyrs’ day, Nabatanzi said there couldn’t have been a better day for her first born to come.

“The only disappointment was that it wasnt a baby boy, otherwise we would have named him after one of the Ugandan Martyrs with names like Mugagga Lubowa, Joseph Balikuddembe, Charles Lwanga or any other.” she says. Unfortunately for her, there was no and there is still no recognised female Ugandan Martyr even though one Catherine, a former Buganda princess is now being considered. According to Nabatanzi, some people are lucky to have birthdays on holidays or call them public days.

So is Pyra Nakyejjwe. During Martyrs Day last year, when she clocked two, she cut a birthday cake with friends and fellow children singing for her those lovely songs.
Above all, the birthday party was conducted in a peaceful holiday atmosphere when some villagers who had gone to Namugongo were returning in high spirits. Many of Pyra’s friends were present to wish her a long life since there were no classes on that day.