KAMPALA, Uganda — Ahead of the annual Martyrs Day commemorations at Namugongo, the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) and the Uganda Police Force (UPF) have jointly deployed at least 7,000 personnel to ensure the safety and security of attendees.
The annual pilgrimage, scheduled for Tuesday, June 3rd, draws tens of thousands of worshippers from Uganda and neighboring countries to remember the 45 Christian converts who were martyred for their faith between 1885 and 1887.
To facilitate a seamless event, the joint security operations committee has convened multiple preparatory meetings. On Friday, Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIGP) Frank Mwesigwa, the director of police operations services, conducted an inspection of both the Catholic and Anglican shrines to evaluate the level of preparedness.
Following the inspection, Mwesigwa stated that the purpose of the visit was to verify the implementation of the planned security deployments.
“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 affirmed.
During a coordination meeting held at the site, commanders representing 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 operate cohesively to guarantee the safety of all pilgrims.
“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, reassuring attendees of the comprehensive security measures in place.
In a related development, AIGP Mwesigwa and the Minister of Health, Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng, held an inter-agency meeting to synchronize security and health emergency protocols. Dr. Aceng assured the public of her ministry’s readiness to handle 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 stated.
Dr. Aceng also confirmed that Joint Medical Stores (JMS) has provided additional medical supplies to support both shrines during the celebrations.
