The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Police have banned tax stages along Namugongo road, Kyaliwajala trading center, Sonde, and Nalya, ahead of the Martyr’s day celebrations on Friday this week.
The ban is aimed at implementing the traffic flow plan designed by the traffic police for the proper flow of traffic during the celebrations. Rogers Kawuma Nsereko, the Kampala Metropolitan Traffic Police commander, says that any taxi found at the stage along the said roads will be impounded and the driver penalized.
He also says that police will tow any vehicle that will be found abandoned along the designated roads at the owner’s cost.
He says that the traffic flow along the Jinja-Kampala highway will not be affected while Kireka-Kyaliwajala road will only be used for vehicles heading to Namugongo shrines.
Nsereko says that only VIPs with appropriate stickers will be allowed to access the parking space at the Basilica and the protestant church. He explains that foreign pilgrims to the Basilica with vehicles bearing blue stickers will be dropped off at Kyaliwajala trading center and the vehicles parked at Vienna College school.
Pilgrims heading to Mamre international prayers center will access the venue through Bweoyogerere, Butto, Kyobe, and Janda roads and park as directed by the traffic police. The members of the Muslim community heading to Namugongo Mosques will go through Bweyogerere Buto road and park adjacent to the mosque.
Nsereko says that there will be restricted access to Bwoyogerere trading center, Agenda 2000, Kiratown council roundabout, Seeta trading center, Naalya road, and Namugongo Ssemambo road.
He also said that there will be no parking for the general public both at the Catholic church and the Church of Uganda church.
The Uganda Martyrs Day is an annual event in honor of 45 young men who converted to Christianity between 1885 and 1887 to the annoyance of Kabaka Mwanga II of Buganda, who ordered that they be burnt to death.
Thousands of pilgrims from within and outside Uganda descend on Namugongo, the site where the majority of the converts were martyred in celebration of their bravery. In 2020, the government canceled the celebrations because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, the government allowed the church to organize a low-key event with a limited number of Christians due to the pandemic restrictions.
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