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Birinzi, the birthplace of St Charles Lwanga
Pilgrims fundraise to raise money to develop the birth home of St Charles Lwanga in Birinzi in July.Inset is a monument of St Charles Karoli Lwanga inside Kitovu Cathedral. It was carved out of the healing tree which was at Birinzi shrine. Photo by Christopher Kisekka
Although at Namugongo stands the biggest Uganda Martyrs’ shrine to which thousands of Christians from all walks of life make pilgrimage every year, there are many smaller such places where people go to seek intercession of the martyrs and which are accorded a lot of respect.
These are the birth places of the martyrs and places where some of the martyrs actually met their death as the rest were taken to the then main execution grounds at Namugongo on the orders of Kabaka Mwanga II.
One such place is Birinzi Shrine located at Birinzi village in Mukungwe Sub-county, Masaka District (Masaka Diocese) which is the birth place of St Charles Lwanga.
The faithful, in their thousands, trek to the place every first Sunday of July to pray.
James Kayemba, a believer, says he has been walking to the site since he was 20 years old and has witnessed many favours in his life after the intersession with Karoli Lwanga.
Prominent people such as Rtd Col Kizza Besigye are also frequent visitors to the place. Charles Lwanga is arguably the most famous and most influential of the Uganda Martyrs.
Discovering Birinzi
According to Rev Fr Alipio Kyambadde from Sembabule District, in 1913, the church started to inquire on the lives of the Uganda martyrs as they were to be canonised and so they had to reach their natal residences.
The inquiry commission started tracking the roots of the martyr, but they were not certain of his birth place.
Rev Kyambadde says at first the commission thought of Kyatto village in Kalungu District where Karoli had come from before he went to Lubiri, Buganda’s administrative seat at Mengo in Kampala.
Since his family had abandoned the home shortly after his death which was also followed by the death of his father, it became more difficult to track up to Birinzi. The inquiry commission was led by the then surviving brother of the martyr; Zeverian Kyagulanyi to their home at Birinzi which had now turned into a bush.
A church was constructed in the home of the martyr in 1967 in memory of the saint after Kyagulanyi gave the land to the Church.
The mystical forest
Francis Byakatonda, 40, who lived and even served as a catechist at Birinzi Church, says many myths have been created about the forest of Birinzi thus people began to visit it, especially the women.
“It is said that when you came to the forest, you could not take more than two items.
For instance if you came for firework you could not take fruits,” he narrated as we moved closer to the forest where we met Beatrice Butime, wife of Local Government minister Tom Butime, who wanted to take a chip from the “healing tree”.
“If you took more than one item you, could fail to trace your way back home,” Byakatonda, added as he handed us a machete to chop a piece of the tree.
The healing tree
The place had a ‘Mvule’ tree which is said to have been at the backyard of Karoli’s home. Many believers take parts of the tree saying it heals different diseases plus giving fortunes.
According to Byakatonda, the ‘healing’ tree survived up to 2006 when it fell.
As a way of conserving it, Masaka Diocese bishop John Baptist Kaggwa recommended that the saint’s monument be curved from its wood.
The monument was placed in Kitovu Cathedral which is the main church of the diocese.
The stump still stands beside the Birinzi Church and up now many pilgrimages go and cut chips from its stem, believing that it heals and also brings good fortunes.
The tourist attraction site
As the Uganda Tourism Board is currently inspecting cultural and religious places with potential to attract tourists, Birinzi is one of the tourist attractions being fronted by the Catholic Church.
Its approval will be the second of its nature as the Uganda Tourism Board has already ratified the birth place of another Ugandan martyr; St Kizito at Kigwe village in Waluleta Parish, Makulubita Sub-county, Luweero District.
St Kizito, the youngest of the Uganda Martyrs.
About Karoli Lwanga
In the absence of a parish priest of Birinzi, Rev Fr Alipio Kyambadde from Sembabule District, a man of history, tells us about the martyr.
He reveals that Lwanga was a son to a man identified only as Malingo of Mbogo clan and mothered by Gwokiya of Kasimba clan who was a sister to king’s chief executor, Mawuluganju who introduced Lwanga to the palace.
“Karoli Lwanga became a chief of the royal pages and later major-domo in the court of King Mwanga II after the execution of Joseph Mukasa,” Fr Kyambadde said. “Karoli was baptised by Pere Lourdel (Mapeera) on November 15, 1885 and martyred in 1886 during the journey to Namugongo where the then Buganda king used to slay disloyal servants,” he added.
