Uganda Martyrs
Martyrs Trail:
The Uganda Martyrs Trail will wind its way through the awe-inspiring sites where the Uganda Martyrs were tortured and killed in the 1880s including Kasubi Tombs where the King first welcomed the first Europeans to his kingdom and where the four great kings are buried, the Namirembe Cathedral, where Bishop James Hannington’s remains were buried; Rubaga Cathedral, where archives on the lives of 22 Catholic martyrs are kept, Kabaka’s lake and Mengo palace, Old Kampala, where St Mathias Mulumba was killed; and Namugongo, where martyrs were burned alive.
Kasubi Tombs:
The Kasubi tombs, a world cultural heritage site is where four of Buganda’s kings are buried, two of whom associated with the history of the Uganda martyrs. Kusubi tombs is the burial place for the king who invited the missionaries and his successor who sentenced the martyrs.
Henry Stanley, British explorer and journalist, met King Mutesa, the Kabaka (king) of Buganda in April 1875 and after sharing the simple story of Christianity with King Mutesa, he became very enthusiastic about Christianity and asked Stanley to write a letter to Queen Victoria of England, appealing for missionaries. So, two years later, Christianity first came to Uganda when eight missionaries from the Church Missionary Society arrived in 1877. The Christian faith was originally preached only to the immediate members of the court of King Mutesa, Kabaka (king) of Buganda.
Unfortunately the king died in 1884 and was succeeded by his 18 year old son Mwanga. King Mutesa’s successor, King Mwanga, “became increasingly angry as he realized that the first converts put loyalty to Christ above the traditional loyalty to the king. Martyrdoms began in 1885.
Namirembe Cathedral:
The history of the beautiful cathedral on Namirembe, the “Hill of Peace,” may be taken as a sign that the country has been won for God.
Namirembe Cathedral is Uganda’s oldest cathedral. The brick red Anglican Cathedral with the impressive dome is also known as St. Paul’s Cathedral. The cathedral is visible from much of Kampala. ‘Namirembe’ the name of both the hill and the majestic Cathedral means “the mother of peace and tranquility”.
The history of the Cathedral dates back to 1875 when Kabaka (King) Mutesa1 wrote a letter to the British newspaper The Daily Telegraph calling for pious and Christian missionaries to come to his kingdom of Buganda and cause change. In 1877 Protestant missionaries arrived at the Kabaka’s court while Catholic missionaries arrived in 1879.
Namirembe Cathedral is situated at Mengo on Namirembe Hill in March 1890 just to the west of Kampala city centre. Interesting is the graveyard which includes the remains of Bishop Hannington, who was murdered 1885.
Among the early martyrs of Uganda was English Bishop, James Hannington, the first Anglican Bishop of the Eastern Equatorial province. Bishop Hannington approached the Buganda Kingdom from the East. Unfortunately, unknown to him, there was a Baganda belief that its enemies would approach the kingdom from the eastern route. So, the Kabaka (king) sent warriors to meet this encroaching enemy. Before they killed Hannington on 29th October 1885, he is reported to have said, “Tell the Kabaka (king) that I die for Uganda.” These words are inscribed on his tomb at the Namirembe Cathedral.
Rubaga Cathedral:
Rubaga Cathedral is where archives on the lives of 22 Catholic martyrs are kept.
Built at the beginning of the century, the magnificent St. Mary’s Catholic Church stands at the top of Rubaga Hill, overlooking the city. Rubaga Cathedral is where archives on the lives of 22 Catholic martyrs are kept.
It is said that the blood of the martyrs is the seed of Christianity. The Cathedral of St. Mary in Rubaga has replaced the place of King Mwanga, which once stood on the same spot.
Kabaka’s Lake:
Until they became Christians, Mwanga enjoyed a free hand with his pages. Afterward, he found the converts’ adherence to chastity maddening. Talking about Kabaka’s Lake makes us remember Joseph Mukasa Balikuddembe, a senior advisor to the king
Balikuddembe was one of the martyrs who were killed by Kabaka Mwanga. Before dieing for his faith in Christ, he was heading the excavation of the Kabaka’s lake in Ndeeba. Balikuddembe differed with the king on the criteria to recruit workers for the excavation. While the king wanted forced labour recruitment, Balikuddembe preferred voluntary means since his faith did not allow the use of force.
Kabaka’s Lake is an excavated lake near Kampala which was dug by Kabaka Mwanga in the late 1880’s. kabaka Mwanga’s intension was to link it to Lake Victoria. This lake was also a place for recreation of Kabaka during his free time.
Joseph Mukasa Balikuddembe, a senior advisor to the king and a Catholic convert, condemned Mwanga for ordering Hannington’s death without giving him (Hannington) a chance to defend himself as was customary. Mwanga was annoyed that Mukasa would question his actions, and he had him arrested and killed. On Nov. 15 1885; Mukasa became the first Catholic martyr, when he was beheaded at Nakivubo. Between December of 1885 and May of 1886 many more converts were wantonly murdered.
Mengo Palace and Buganda Lukiiko:
The Martyrs Trail passes through Mengo palace.
Uganda Martyrs accepted to forego the privileged relationship the King of Buganda had established with them such as working in his inner palace chambers, they enjoyed love, honour and trust. They went as far as accepting the loss of love and solidarity they had with their respective family members.
Old Kampala:
King Mwanga was determined to rid his kingdom of the new teaching and its followers. He ordered the converts to choose between their new faith, and complete obedience to his orders. Those unwilling to renounce their faith would be subject to death. Courageously, the young Christians chose their faith.
Kalema Matthias Mulumba.
Matthias Mulumba - at 50, the oldest of the martyrs - was a chief accused of actions unworthy of his position, and Prime Minister Katikiro demanded that Matthias’ death be worse than all the others.
On the way to Namugongo, the traditional place of execution, Kalemba Matthias stopped and asked to be put to death there and then in Old Kampala. His executioners butchered him on the spot, cutting off his limbs and tearing strips of flesh from his body, burning them before his eyes. His courage and endurance were extraordinary and the only sound that came from his lips were the words: “My God! My God!” The executioners then tied up his arteries and left him to die a lingering death.
Matthias Kalemba’s passion began at noon on Thursday, May 27. On Saturday it had not ended. Some men coming to cut reeds in the swamp heard a voice calling: “Water! Water!” They were so horrified by the sight that they fled. He died presumably on Sunday, May 30. God alone knows the full extent of his agony.
Nalya:
The Martyrs trail passes through Naalya, where St. Gonzagga collapsed and was beheaded on his way to Namugongo, where the rest of the martyrs were burnt alive.
Namugongo Martyrs Shrine:
An evergreen, dense equatorial-forest canopy covers the martyr’s shrine with calmness as if things are forever to remain the same. Even the battling spirits seem to cool off with calm waters of the manmade lake formally used by executioners for cleansing.
These Christians were martyred at Namugongo. Their martyrdom produced a result entirely opposite of Mwanga’s intentions.
The prisoners were marched to Namugongo, 37 miles away. On the way, one was hacked to death. Another, who could no longer walk because of the constricting leg irons, had a spear put through him. He died without a whimper.
AÿThey killed a prisoner at each crossroads as an example to others, and at the next one, Athanasius Bazzekuketta, 20, volunteered. Bruno was the next to die. He was severely beaten. Remembering the example of Christ on the cross, he refused the banana wine his brothers offered him.
Upon reaching Namugongo, they were killed one by one, the older men encouraging their youthful compatriots. When they reached Charles Lwanga, Senkole, one of the assassins said, “This one’s for me. You will die slowly.” “I am happy to die for the true faith,” Lwanga replied. Turning to his brothers, he said, “My friends, goodbye. We will meet again in heaven.”
Many of the remaining Christians were rolled up in reed mats and set on fire. One called out, “Tell Mapera [Ugandan for priest] that we were faithful!” An executioner said, “We have killed many men, but never such as these. Others only moaned and wept; these prayed right to the end.”
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