Katoosa: Security prohibits night travels for pilgrims

Security personnel have banned night movement for all pilgrims for the annual celebrations in honour of Ugandan martyr St Adolf Tibeyariwa at Katoosa Parish Shrine in Kyenjojo District.  

The move is a result of security threats posed by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a rebel group, in the Rwenzori Sub-region.
Rwenzori West Police Region Spokesperson, Mr Vicent Twesige, said all pilgrims have been informed about the directive, saying they walk only during day.

Fr Venasio Busobozi, the parish priest of Katoosa, which is under Fort Portal Diocese, yesterday said security measures have been significantly reinforced at the shrine. He added that all pilgrims have been urged to walk with identification documents from their respective areas.

“We have had several meetings with security officials at both the regional and district levels. By Wednesday, security had already been heightened. We are thoroughly screening all individuals and pilgrims entering the venue, and we have requested all pilgrims to carry identification documents,” Fr Busobozi said.

Scheduled for tomorrow, the celebration holds special significance since all the five dioceses, including Fort Portal, under the ecclesiastical province of Mbarara will celebrate this day together. 
Previously, the celebrations were held and presided over by Fort Portal Diocese.

Fr Busobozi yesterday said all the bishops from the other dioceses under the Mbarara ecclesiastical province (Mbarara, Kabale, Hoima, and Kasese) have confirmed their participation in the celebrations.

“For the first time, this will be a provincial celebration where we shall have all the bishops from our Mbarara province attending together. The main celebrant will be Mbarara Archbishop Lambert Bainomugisha, and we anticipate Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja as the chief guest,” said the Katoosa parish priest.

He said pilgrims from outside the Diocese of Fort Portal had started arriving ahead of the celebration.
Fr Busobozi said for the first time, they anticipate the number of pilgrims to increase compared to last year when they were more than 80,000. The influx of pilgrims from other dioceses such as Kasese and Hoima began on Monday.

He said they expect more than 500 pilgrims from the Democratic Republic of Congo and parts of Uganda.
“We have already received pilgrims from Kawenge, Kitagwenda, Ntoroko districts, and other places. Given that this year’s celebration is a provincial one, unlike previous events, we anticipate the number of pilgrims to double. Fortunately, we have ample space to accommodate these large numbers,” he said.

Fr Moses Mutangirizi, the chaplain for guild martyrs of Fort Portal Diocese, said several pilgrims from various parishes had gathered at Bukawali Parish in Fort Portal City on Wednesday and were flagged off yesterday, before  embarking for Katoosa Parish.
“We have hundreds of pilgrims who have already gathered here, among them, we have more than 100 pilgrims from DR Congo, all will be heading to Katoosa for pilgrimage,” he said.

Last April,  bishops in Mbarara Provice  decided to  initiate annual provincial celebrations in honour of martyr Tibeyariwa.