Classroom lesson ยท Uganda Martyrs Day - 3 June ยท ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฌ Uganda

Uganda Martyrs Day - 3 June

A day of pilgrimage and quiet remembrance at Namugongo

Photo ยท Wikimedia Commons

What is it?

Every year on 3 June, Uganda holds a national day called Uganda Martyrs Day. It is a public holiday when people travel to a place called Namugongo, near Kampala, to remember people from Ugandan history who became known as the 'Uganda Martyrs'. Many walk for days from far away to get there.

Tell me more

Namugongo is a place just outside the capital where a beautiful round building with a tall pointed roof stands in green gardens. It is one of the most peaceful spots near Kampala. On Martyrs Day, hundreds of thousands of people gather there to remember Ugandan history together - sitting quietly, listening to speeches and music, lighting candles.

What makes Martyrs Day special is the walking. Some people set off weeks before the day, walking from places hundreds of kilometres away. They walk in small groups, carrying small bags, sleeping in churches or schools along the way. Villages give the walkers water and food as they pass. By 3 June, the roads to Namugongo are full of friendly groups arriving on foot.

On the day itself, the gardens are full. There are choirs singing, traditional Ugandan dance groups performing, and families spreading mats on the grass to share food. Around the edges, street vendors sell snacks, drinks and souvenirs. It is solemn at moments and joyful at others.

People come to Namugongo from far beyond Uganda too. Pilgrims arrive from Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan and beyond. It is one of the biggest gatherings of any kind in East Africa each year - a peaceful day that draws people together from many countries.

In the classroom

Walk your class through this in 15 minutes.

Talk together

Discussion prompts

  1. 01Many people walk for weeks to get to Namugongo. What does it tell us about a day that people are willing to walk so far for it?
  2. 02What is one place in your own country that lots of people visit on a special day?
  3. 03When friendly strangers help walkers along the way - giving water or food - what does that tell us about kindness?
Try this

Classroom activity

On a map of Uganda, mark Kampala and Namugongo. Then look up a town a few hundred kilometres away (like Mbarara or Gulu). Calculate how many days it would take to walk that distance at 25 km per day. Discuss: would you want to do it? What would you take?