Let’s heed call on Martyrs Day fete

The Church has in the past few days communicated that very few people – a combined 450 – will be allowed to access the Martyrs Day celebrations at the Anglican and Catholic shrines at Namugongo, Wakiso District.

Likewise, religious leaders across the country have also asked the faithful to stay home on June 3 as they mark Martyrs Day in a bid to check coronavirus infections. Just a handful of believers will be allowed access to churches as is required by Standard Operating Procedures.

The usual pilgrimage will also not be possible this year as was the case last year.

As is the norm, many people use the Martyrs Day celebrations to throng shrines, churches, merry-make, and feast.  For the second year running, that won’t be possible and we should all heed the call. 

For people who stay and operate business in Namugongo, the anniversary comes with a financial windfall as hundreds of thousands of people descend on the area to celebrate Christians who were executed by Kabaka Muwanga between January 31, 1885 and January 27, 1887 for refusing to denounce their religion. That, unfortunately, won’t be the case. 

Let’s stay alive so as to stay in business rather than do business and die. 

Whereas the country started mass vaccination at the Kololo Independence Grounds in Kampala yesterday, much of the work remains our individual responsibility to beat the pandemic. 

We should social distance, sanitise, wash hands, wear masks and avoid unnecessary travel at all costs.

The pandemic is unforgiving and has brought global economies to their knees, let alone claiming lives of millions of people.

By last evening, some schools and learning institutions had sent home students after finding cases. This means the virus is upon us and how we navigate through the second wave is very pivotal in holding together the economy that is still weak from last year’s beating.

Many businesses have never recovered; thousands of people lost their jobs and are yet to get them back. The effects were devastating yet government did very little to cushion Ugandans from the pandemic aftermath.

President Museveni sounded a warning during his address on Saturday over the spiraling cases in Kampala and Wakiso. He said people were not wearing masks, were not social distancing, public transport continued to abuse SOPs and some social gathering places like bars had decided to open. 

We do not know what he is planning to announce on Wednesday. But our responsibility is to remain healthy and stay alive.