Close to St Kizito at Waluleta Shrine

A sculptor of St Kizito that has been placed under the tree where he is alleged to have spent much of his time during childhood and later adult life. Photos by Dan Wandera

What you need to know:

  • Getting set. Religious tourism has been around for ages but had, until recently, not been taken serious. Many sites are under refurbishment to tap into their potential as well as preserving history, writes Dan Wandera

We drive seven kilometres out of Wobulenzi Town before we connect to Kigwe village in Waluleta parish, Makulubita Sub-county.

We are here with a group of journalists, church members and catholic leaders for the launch of Waluleta Shrines; a religious monument.
The monument was in 1995 mapped out as a tribute to some martyrs by the then bishop of Kasana-Luweero Diocese, Cyprian Kizito Lwanga, the current Archbishop of Kampala in 1995.

Waluleta Shrines, just like many other religious sites, was motivated by the need to preserve history, a key factor that has recently inspired the growth of religious tourism.
The shrine is part of a programme by the Catholic Church in the Luweero Diocese to have birth places of three Uganda Martyrs in Luweero and Nakaseke district mapped out as tributes to the martyrs.

The programme started with Waluleta Shrines the birth place of St Kizito, the youngest of the Uganda Martyrs and patron saint of Kasana-Luweero Diocese.

The site has a Mvule tree that is believed to have provided shelter to St Kizito and his siblings used. It is one of the most significant features among other artifacts that the church is building on to enrich the shrines and promote them as tourism sites.
The shrine is a result of wide consultations that were conducted by a number of bishops during pastoral visits in parts of Makulubita Sub-county having been decreed for annual pilgrimage by the Catholic Church under Kasana-Luweero Diocese.

Collecting facts
According to Rev Lawrence Kizito Kimbowa, the judicial vicar of Kasana –Luweero Diocese and who previously chaired the organising committee for the 2010 Waluleta pilgrimage, the diocese is on course to have all facts relating to Uganda’s youngest martyr collected and safeguarded.
St Kizito was born in 1872 at Kigwe village in Waluleta parish, Bulemeezi County. He was baptised on May 26, 1886 and later executed on June 3, 1886 on the orders of Kabaka Mwanga at Namugongo.
In 1920 he was beatified by Pope Benedict XV and was later canonised by Pope Paul VI as one of the Martyrs on October 18, 1964.

Kasana-Luweero Diocese has two other religious sites that have been mapped out for development including the birth place of St Dennis Ssebuggwawo at Kiwoko in Nakaseke District and St Antanansio Bazzekuketa in Mulajje parish in Bamunanika Sub-county, Luweero District.

Available literature says little about his family but highlights his father only identified as Lukomera, a Buganda kingdom chief who served under Kabaka Mwanga’s reign

Lukomera reportedly moved to different places including Makulubita in Waluleta village where St Kizito was born but later settled in Kyawangabi village, Butuntumula Sub-county.
He is alleged to have seconded his son Kizito to go and serve at the king’s palace at the age of 10. His mother is only identified as Wangabira.

Waluleta village, a purely farming area known for matooke is slowly benefiting from the new shrine with annual pilgrims organised by the Catholic Church.

A replicate of the family home, a sculpture of St Kizito holding a bible under the Mvule tree believed to be more than 250 years old are part of the eye catching features that overlook the entrance.

Elderly persons at Waluleta village claim the Mvule tree where many Catholic faithfuls usually converge for prayer to seek blessings in the name of St Kizito has existed for ages although most people cannot state the actual number of years the tree has existed.

Tree with history
“The tree has not changed since I was a child. We used to play and seek shelter from here. This was way back in 1949 when my grandparents migrated to Waluleta village from Nakaseke. I am now 78 years old,” Erukana Kakembo a resident of Waluleta village says.

His narration corresponds well with with that of Rev Kimbowa, who says they have got similar information from different elders in the village.

“Other elders have said the same. This tree is where St Kizito together with his siblings used to play and rest. The church also made a facelift and relocated some of the graves belonging to relatives of St Kizito in this very place,” he says.
However, the church has had to be vigilant to protect the tree that is facing possible destruction from Christians who cut its parts for blessing.

“We have now fenced off the tree for preservation,” Rev Kimbowa says.
At a dedication service attended by bishops, Anthony Ziwa of Kiyinda-Mityana Diocese, Christopher Kakooza of Lugazi Diocese, Paul Ssemogerere of Kasana-Luweero Diocese, Archbishop of Kampala Cyprian Kizito Lwanga, said the Church has a programme to have all religious sites refurbished and protected.
The sites will not only spur religious tourism but it’s a way through which the church is seeking to preserve its history.
“We could be convening in this place for the annual pilgrimage if all the history regarding it is collected. Like St Kizito, our children have to be natured in an environment that honours God and with discipline embedded in their daily lives,” said Archbishop Lwanga.
Kasana-Luweero Diocese is mobilising Shs250m to expand the site as well as creating recreation grounds that can modernise it to reach international standards, according to Rev Kimbowa.
Religious tourism has mainly been promoted by the annual pilgrimage at Namugongo Martyrs Shrines that attracts more than a million visitors from different parts of the country

Namugongo Martyrs Shrine

The martyrs trail is the most widely known place of martyrdom and pilgrimage in the country.
On every June 3, thousands of people trek from all walks of life, including international pilgrimages and visit Namugongo to celebrate the Uganda martyrs day. There are 24 Catholic Uganda Martyrs.
A number of faithfuls who have visited the Namugongo shrine say their problems were solved and desires achieved through prayer and intercession of the Uganda Martyrs.

Other religious and tourism sites

Munyonyo Martyrs Shrine

This site is perhaps the most important one in the Catholic Church yet it remains a low key affair. This is where martyrdom in Uganda started. The first martyrs were killed on orders of Kabaka Mwanga II on May 26, 1886. They were canonised by Pope Paul VI in 1964.

Gadaffi Mosque

It a mosque, with a dome that stretches into the sky. It is located in Kampala on Old Kampala hill and it is the second largest mosque in Africa. It was commissioned by Colonel Muammar Gaddafi of Libya, who erected it as a gift to Uganda to benefit the Muslims.
The Mosque was renamed ‘Uganda National Mosque’ in 2013 following the death of Colonel Gaddafi as the new Libyan administration was reluctant to rehabilitate it under the old name. It houses up to 19,600 worshipers who also occupy the gallery and the terrace.

Liberty Worship Centre

Liberty worship centre has 15,000 seat capacities and is perhaps the biggest church in East Africa.

The Bayudaya group

Mbale has played host to the regional and continental Jewish festivals since the 1920’s.

Bukalango prayer place

Bukalango prayer place is a faith based socio-economic transformation that attracts thousands of believers to receive miracles.
Others include; Bishop Hannington monument in Busoga.

Kigungu landing site

Kigungu Landing Site is where the first Catholic missionaries landed in Uganda. Every February 17, Catholics make a pilgrimage to Mapeera-Kigungu to commemorate the arrival of the religion in Uganda.

Baha’i temple

The Bahá’í House of Worship in Uganda was named as the Mother Temple of Africa. It is situated on Kikaya Hill on the outskirts of Kampala. And has attractive architectural designs marooned in beautifu gardens.
The temple was started in 1958 and attracts an estimated 50,000 visitors every year.

The polish refugee church

This was built by polish exiles that had been rescued from WWII. It is located in Budongo. It was erected between 1942 and 1952, since 7,200 refugees majority whom were Children and women were settled in Nyabyeya in the areas of Budongo.

Compiled by Eseri Watsemwa