President Yoweri Museveni, who has been the Guest of Honour at this year’s Martyrs Day celebrations, has urged religious leaders to actively participate in the fight against poverty among the religious community and other Ugandans.
While addressing thousands of pilgrims gathered at the Catholic Shrine in Namugongo, Museveni said that Uganda is known as a country of martyrs, but being also known as a poor country is very bad.
“It’s good to be religious but very bad to be poor,” Museveni said, urging religious leaders to encourage their communities to work hard and eradicate poverty.
On why he decided to attend today’s celebration, Museveni narrated that when the Uganda Martyrs were canonized, he was 19 years old and in S.4 at Ntare, and he followed everything.
“Mama Janet and I would like to thank God because when we heard that today is 60 years since the canonisation of the Uganda Martyrs, we had to attend. I have been around when all this happened, and I am still here as we celebrate 60 years,” he said.
The Archbishop of Kampala Diocese, Paul Ssemogerere, thanked everyone for contributing to the success of this year’s celebration.
“This day is celebrated annually as a reminder to humanity of the importance of faith, resilience, unity, and witnessing to Christ,” he said.
