At least 7,000 personnel from the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) and Uganda Police Force (UPF) have been deployed to provide both covert and overt security during this year’s Martyrs Day celebrations at Namugongo.
The annual pilgrimage, slated for Tuesday, June 3, attracts tens of thousands of faithful from across the country and beyond, commemorating the 45 Christian converts killed for their faith between 1885 and 1887.
To ensure a hitch-free event, the joint security operations committee has held a series of meetings ahead of the celebrations. On Friday, Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIGP) Frank Mwesigwa, director of police operations services, inspected the Catholic and Anglican shrines to assess the state of preparedness.
Speaking after the inspection, Mwesigwa said the visit was to ensure that deployment plans were being implemented as designed.
“I have inspected the security preparations at the two shrines, and I commend security officers for their efforts in ensuring pilgrims’ safety. We have deployed over 7,000 overt and covert security operatives to secure the event,” he said.
During a coordination meeting held at the site, commanders from various units including the Special Forces Command (SFC), Counter-Terrorism (CT), Field Force Unit (FFU), Regional Police Commanders (RPCs), and Division Police Commanders (DPCs), pledged to work as a single force to guarantee the safety of all attendees.
“Standby teams, mobile squads, and medical teams have equally been deployed to provide immediate medical attention as and when the need may arise. We urge the pilgrims to come and are assured of their safety,” Mwesigwa added.
Meanwhile, Mwesigwa and minister of Health Dr Jane Ruth Aceng held an inter-agency meeting to harmonise security and health emergency plans. Aceng assured the public that her ministry was well-prepared for any medical contingencies.
“We have a first aid team. Whatever challenges come in the way, we are ready to handle it. We have planned for this event and we are sure it will go on well,” she said.
Dr Aceng also confirmed that Joint Medical Stores (JMS) has provided additional medical support for both shrines.
Atleast Ugandans and fellow catholic s from different countries are safer than some years back
My question, can’t the Catholic and protestant churches( through volunteers) provide both security and health services( first aid can be administered by a p7 dropout, you do not need a whole minister to commission that) ?
Will you really, as churches, be able to separate yourselves from the executive’s patronage yet there are somethings you can do yourselves?
You are wrong any body doing First Aid , Basic Life Support (BLS) and CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) and AED ( Automatic Electro defibrillation) has to be trained and certified according international standards of International Red Cross , Heart and Stroke Foundation or St John’s Ambulance Brigade.
You are off the mark , a P7 drop out cannot do it and it is duty of government to provide these services to the public in any “civilized ” country -that is what your taxes they collect from every Uganda are for.
“This is “not executive patronage” but duty of government – this service at public events has been going even during Colonial times, Obote I , Amin Dada’s Regime , Obote II and is not a favor to Public- it is a must. So take politics out of this – i do know not which other countries you have visited or been to.
Peter, thank you for the English.
My understanding of first aid in relation to namugongo revolves around;
Cuts- solution(stopping the bleeding by applying pressure to the wound and letting it clot)
Breathing complications- CPR; where if it is a beautiful woman you give her the kiss of life, if it is a man you punch the chest…
Anything more than that, you need an ambulance…
Does that really require the presence of a minister or ministry ?
Near by church affiliated clinics can handle that…
I am trying to provide solutions here…
Sometimes giving and receiving as a mentality can hinder independence…
Let us face it, the Ugandan government is bad but we have to live in Uganda…
You and me are not going to go to the bush and cause the death of 500k people…
So let us KUBOOLA this government.
I think it is more effective than reminding it to do what it is meant to do but purposefully refuses to do then it comes out to have the spot light. (Mbu security is tight at Namugongo yet up to now, they failed to detect, stop and arrest the people who killed others in Masaka with garden tools- Masaka Kijambiya murders)
It is like a man who steals fuel from an ambulance then comes to give a speech and Mabugo at the burial of the person who died because the ambulance had no fuel to transport him to the hospital.
What I am saying is the church can handle its own security and health, why should the government that has failed it’s own- PLU vice chairman Babu’s son(Health) and the Masaka residents- Kijambiya killings (Security) pretend to be on top of things at Namugongo ?
me, understood, but,
Deployment of Uganda People’s Defence Forces can only be under order of Rwandese Museveni who owns Uganda & tax money & controls every institution!
Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) air drop food for Sudanese under whose order?
Remember, Uganda was owned by Sudanese Idi Amin who brought in millions of Sudanese & S. Sudanese & made Uganda their birth land!
As Ugandans remain POWERLESS tribally divided ruled & Museveni is helping Sudan & S. Sudan, will these people finally overthrow him & remake Uganda their homeland & is it the change Ugandans are waiting for?
Akot, you cannot give what you do not have.
Can these Ugandans, who cannot really organise themselves mobilise themselves to push back someone who jumped over bodies to gain the presidency to leave power ?
Look, they cannot even organise themselves at local council level, can they mobilise themselves to push this guy out of power ? Really ?
Ugandans have failed to put simple people to account -Custodians of customary land, who they know where they live and interact with; they even go to the same places of worship but cannot and have failed to hold them accountable…how can they then dream of taking this guy on, if it is not comedy, then what is it ?
Akot, the so-called opposition has lawyers, why have they not educated every Ugandan about their rights and duties…Ugandans, if they knew their rights and duties would exercise them, wouldn’t it be easier for the “opposition”, if they had the backing of woke citizens to take this guy on ?
Instead they demonstrate at kikubo and city square yet museveni resides at nakasero plot 1 and works at Entebbe, can these clowns really do it ?
Aren’t you asking for too much ?
Isn’t it more profitable to have no real economic skills and pretend to fight Museveni and get paid handsomely than remove museveni and try to sort out the mess that is Uganda ?
With this age of internet and social media, how many of these educated opposition have really taught Ugandans on their rights and duties in respect to unlawful arrests(abductions), following up on corruption cases, etc ?
Again, aren’t you asking for too much ?
First plant the seeds then expect a bountiful harvest instead of this…educate them first.
me, thanks, I love you!
There is no opposition to Rwandese Museveni – 40 years aren’t long enough & so called opposition leaders just ensure he’s protected constitutionally with fake presidential election & bolstered with useless parliamentary, local ones!
Ugandans MUST say NO to the tribalistic system Museveni so so cleaverly put in place to ensure they are POWERLESS & this will also stop the so called opposition leders who pretend Uganda is a country, when it’s Rwandese Museveni’s family business!
Only UNITED Ugandans can stop Museveni, then have chance to form the kind of governance they want, as so called opposition leaders, those in posts, the educated are not helping! Museveni is going no where as it’s Ugandans ensuring his inhuman rule, ownership of the zone formed by their tribal lands!
Funny, so called UPDF, Museveni’s army, consider Ugandans the enemies but Ugandans can UNITE as ONE to stop Museveni & them too!
Ah! UPDF is also ensuring inhuman rules in Sudan, S. Sudan with Uganda tax money, free food!
Peter Kadongo, understood!
This is why Ugandans MUST ensure they own the zone formed by their tribal lands & govern as they wish or Museveni’s army will frighten them as, where & when he wants them to!
Without NO to the tribalistic system & UNITY, the best Ugandans can do is “not go for next useless presidential election that will only reaffirm they still need, want Museveni” who will never lose!