Catholic and Anglican Churches have received Shs30 Million donation ahead of Martyrs Day celebrations. The day is held to commemorate 23 Anglican martyrs and 22 Catholic martyrs who were killed on the orders of Kabaka Mwanga between November 1985 and January 1887.
This year marks 59 years since the Uganda Martyrs were canonized and elevated to sainthood by Pope Paul VI on October 18, 1964.
The donation was made by MTN Uganda. The telecom company donated Shs20 million to the Jinja Catholic Diocese and Shs 10 million to the Church of Uganda, to support their preparations for this year’s Martyrs Day celebrations.
The Shs30 million donations to the Catholic Church and Church of Uganda will go towards the preparations of the Martyrs’ day celebrations at Namugongo.
Speaking in Jinja, the Head Commercial Eastern Region, Njagala Allan hailed the Catholic Church for its steadfast commitment and resilience towards spiritually nurturing the community amidst the numerous challenges they face today.
Bishop of Jinja Diocese Rt Rev Charles Martin Wamiika expressed gratitude to MTN for its continued support of the Catholic Church and all religious sects in general. He said, “We are grateful to MTN Uganda for their contribution towards the preparation of the Martyrs Day celebrations. This donation will go a long way in making the day a success and in ensuring that we continue to keep the spirit of the Uganda Martyrs alive.”
In addition to the financial donations the MTN donated 250 Reflective jackets to ensure that the pilgrims are visible and 100 boxes of bottled water to the pilgrims to ensure that they stay hydrated during the long and arduous journey.
Rt. Rev Kosea Odongo, Bishop of Soroti diocese, who represented the Bishop Samuel Egesa, Chairperson Cluster, also expressed his gratitude to MTN Uganda for their generous donation. “We are thankful to MTN Uganda for their donation towards the preparation of the Martyrs Day celebrations. This support is a testament to the long-standing relationship between MTN Uganda and the Church of Uganda, and we are grateful for their continued support.”
