The Uganda Martyrs Massacre
The Uganda Martyrs Massacre : These are a group of 23 Anglican and 22 Catholic converts to Christianity in the historical kingdom of Buganda, now part of Uganda. In fact, they were executed between 31 January 1885 and 27 January 1887. As a matter of fact, they were killed on orders of Mwanga II who was the Kabaka (King) of Buganda. The deaths took place at a time when there was a three-way religious struggle for political influence at the Buganda royal court. It was also done because of the various people of Buganda who were converting to Christianity. As a result, they were forced to abandon their faith in Christianity which they refused to do and Kabaka ordered for their killing.
Celebrating the Uganda Martyrs
The Catholic Church beatified the 22 Catholic martyrs of its faith in 1920 and canonized them in 1964. Note that; their lives are celebrated by the whole world on 3rd June every year. Here, people from different areas pay pilgrimage to Namugongo Martyrs Shrine which was put in place in commemoration of the Uganda Martyrs. Later, the shrines were constructed at Namugongo site for people to conduct prayers. Besides, the shrine is one of the historical, religious and most sites to visit during a Kampala City Tour.
The massacre of the Uganda Martyrs
Mwanga massacred the Anglican missionary Bishop James Hannington and his colleagues in October 1885. Later, Joseph Mukasa, an important member of the royal household and a Catholic, reproached the kabaka for the massacre. As a result, on November 15 of that year, Mwanga had Mukasa beheaded. Mwanga, having learned that they had received religious instruction from the page Denis Ssebuggwawo, he ordered that all the youths be arrested.
Death of the Pages
Charles Lwanga who was Mukasa’s successor, secretly baptized those boys who had only been catechumens. However, the following day they were herded away to the village of Namugongo. Three of them; Pontian Ngondwe, a soldier, the royal servants Athanasius Bazzekuketta and Gonzaga Gonza were murdered en route. Mwanga continued his persecution, destroying Protestants and Roman Catholic missionaries alike. The page Jean Marie Muzeyi was also beheaded on January 27, 1887. All the survivors, as recorded by Father Lourdel, superior of the Roman Catholic mission to Uganda, were imprisoned for a week with the exception of Mbaga-Tuzinde. Later, he was bludgeoned by his own father, the pages were burned alive on June 3, 1886.
Names of the Uganda martyrs
- Yusuf Rugarama, Baanabakintu Lukka, Buuzabalyawo Yakobo, Kakumba Makko, Sserwanga Nuwa, Lwakisinga Mukasa. Lwanga, Nakabandwa Danieri, Balikuddembe Mukasa, Mukasa Musa, Bazzekuketta Antanansio, Gonza Gonzaga, Lwanga Karoli. Tuzinde Mbaga, Kadoko Alexanda, Mubi-Azaalwa, Munyangabyangu Robert, Gyaviira ,Kiuuka Ambrosio. Kiriggwajjo Anatoli ,Kiriwawanvu Mukasa, Kiwanuka Achileo ,Kizito, Wasswa, Walukagga Nuwa. Muzeeyi Jean-Marie, Lugido Mukasa Adolofu, Mugagga, Sserunkuuma Bruno, Kifamunnyanja, Kiwanuka Giyaza. Kizza Frederick, Kwabafu, Muwanga Njigija, Kaggwa Anderea, Ngondwe Posiano, Ssebuggwawo Denis. Mbwa Eriya, Muddu-Aguma, Mulumba Matiya, Muwanga Daudi, Kayizzi Kibuuka, Mawaggali Nowa, Mayanja Kitoogo, Muwanga
Frequently asked questions about the Uganda Martrys
Who was the first Uganda Martyr to be killed?
Nuwa Serwanga, Makko Kakumba and Yususf Rugarama were the first Uganda martyrs. The execution of the three was done on 31 January 1885, just a year after Kabaka Mwanga II had succeeded his father. Later on that year, Bishop Hannington, on returning to Uganda, was also murdered.
Who was the youngest Uganda Martyr?
Kizito was the youngest of the martyrs and he was burned alive. In fact, it was on the orders of King Mwanga II of Buganda on June 3rd, 1886 in Namugongo.
Why were the Uganda Martyrs killed?
The specific reasons for the murder of each martyr varies, thus they have created a considerable debate. Some martyrs went missing when summoned by Kabaka while others say it was a three-way religious struggle. It has also been recorded that Kabaka executed Uganda Martyrs for lack of submission to his sexual advances. Subjects who denounced Christianity as their faith were spared from death whereby Mwanga summoned the martyrs. Most of them being youths, stood aside and declared themselves as worshipers of the Christian religion. Their age bracket approximately ranged from 10 to 30.
How were the Uganda Martyrs killed?
The Uganda martyrs were beheaded, tortured, or burnt alive to death. The burning of martyrs began at Gombolola, Mengo; the place of the sacred fire and ended at Nakiyanja. Additionally, the holy fire never went off unless a king died and was reignited on the entry of another king. Ssenkole who was the deputy executioner managed the holy fire and took ash of the killed to use it to protect the king from the dead spirits. On the other hand, Ssenkole would bring fire on the day of execution using reeds, though not up to the place of performance. The blood of the executed was not to be spilled at Nakiyanja and family members were not allowed to bid farewell to their loved ones. In conclusion, farewells were done at the present-day place, Kyaliwajjala.
