news 2 June 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Uganda Martyrs Day: How Limited Guests Were Selected for 2026 Service
A select group of 200 individuals, including clergy, health workers, media, and security personnel, were invited to the scaled-down Uganda Martyrs Day commemoration at the Anglican Site. The government's decision aimed to facilitate a successful virtual broadcast of the service. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/how-guests-for-martyrs-day-service-were-selected-5483018
The 2026 Uganda Martyrs Day commemoration service at the Anglican Site was significantly scaled down, with only 200 individuals granted access to participate in person. This limited attendance was a government directive to ensure the successful execution of a virtual service reaching a wider audience.
Those who received invitations included priests, members of the media, healthcare workers, and security personnel. According to Rev. John Kitayimbwa, chairperson of the organizing committee at the Anglican Site, these guests were crucial for delivering the worship experience to homes across the country through various television broadcasts. The main preacher was the Archbishop of Uganda, the Most Rev. Stephen Samuel Kaziimba Mugalu, accompanied by five bishops.
Attendees were strictly limited to those residing in Kampala, Wakiso, and Mukono districts. Furthermore, the choir, typically numbering 600, was reduced to just 30 members to prevent congestion, adhering to Ministry of Health guidelines. Access to certain areas, including the museum, was prohibited, and the use of holy water was discouraged in favor of focusing on the spiritual ministry.
Security personnel from the Uganda Police were deployed to enforce strict access control, ensuring that only invited individuals could enter the site. Participants were also required to adhere to standard operating procedures. Meanwhile, at the Catholic Shrine, no special guests were invited. Mass services were conducted at different intervals and parish levels, with a few parishioners attending the shrine while adhering to health guidelines and police coordination for sanitization.