Museveni Fully Funds Shs1.3 Billion Budget for This Year's Uganda Martyrs Day Celebrations

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has announced a substantial contribution of Shs1.3 billion to the Nebbi Catholic Diocese.

This generous donation comes in preparation for the upcoming Uganda Martyrs Day celebrations, set to take place on June 3rd, 2024.

The Nebbi Catholic Diocese has been entrusted with leading this year's commemoration, marking the second time they will helm the event since their previous leadership in 2007.

The occasion honors the memory of the 22 Catholic and 23 Anglican martyrs who courageously sacrificed their lives for their faith between 1885 and 1887 under the reign of Kabaka Mwanga of Buganda Kingdom.

President Museveni made the announcement during a meeting with a religious delegation led by Rt. Rev. Raphael Wokorach, Archbishop-elect of the Gulu Archdiocese and Apostolic Bishop of Nebbi Diocese.

Hon. Dr. Joyce Moriku Kaducu, the State Minister for Education and Sports, facilitated the introduction of the delegation at State House-Entebbe.

Expressing gratitude for the President's support, Rt. Rev. Wokorach highlighted the significance of this year's celebrations, coinciding with the diamond jubilee since the canonization of the Uganda martyrs.

He emphasized the challenges faced in organizing such an event and stressed the importance of financial assistance to ensure its success.

“We made a budget and engaged our people to raise the money to make sure the preparations are smooth. Up to now, we have raised Shs 500 million for additional preparatory needs, but the budget goes up to Shs1.3 billion. That is where we have expressed our desire to ask for your support to ensure these celebrations are held at a level that is respected internationally,” remarked the Archbishop.

Furthermore, Rt. Rev. Wokorach shared his vision for the diocese, focusing on sustainable agricultural practices to improve livelihoods in the region. He emphasised the importance of providing modern agricultural equipment, such as tractors, to enhance productivity in farming communities.

"The biggest challenge is that our people have been using hoes to dig. My request is that if we could have six tractors in the six granaries that we have in the diocese, we can share the tractor to have a bigger space prepared for planting and to take care of the area and the locals as well," stated the Archbishop.

In response to the Archbishop's appeal for support, President Museveni pledged his commitment to the celebrations and assured the delegation of the government's support. He also promised to personally preside over the festivities.

“The confusion among the leaders is that they do not listen to our advice which we put in our manifesto of 1996. We said, first of all, stop working for your stomach. In our National Resistance Movement (NRM) manifesto of 1996, we said there is a difference between intensive agriculture and extensive agriculture. Intensive agriculture means using a small area in a certain way to gain good income. Extensive agriculture is when you use a big piece of land, so even if you get little money per acre, because of the scale, you get enough money,” he said. 

Beyond the Martyrs Day celebrations, the meeting addressed broader developmental initiatives, including sustainable agricultural practices. Rt. Rev. Wokorach outlined his vision for the diocese, focusing on modernizing agricultural techniques to improve livelihoods in the region. President Museveni offered insights into agricultural strategies, advocating for intensive farming to maximize productivity on limited land.

President Museveni pledged to address infrastructure challenges in the region, including the construction of the Nebbi-Goli road. He also promised to provide six tractors to enhance agricultural productivity, demonstrating a holistic approach to community development.