Masaka Diocese to turn Birinzi Prayer Centre into tourism site
Pilgrims congregate at Birinzi Prayer Centre in Masaka District in 2019. PHOTO | FILE
Masaka Diocese has set up a seven-member committee to spearhead the redevelopment of Birinzi Prayer Centre in Birinzi Village, Bukakkata Sub-country, into a tourism site.
The committee comprises representatives from different deaneries charged with mobilising Christians from 55 catholic parishes to raise more than Shs1.5b for renovating the site .
According to Mr Christopher Kalemba, the diocesan male coordinator, who is also the head of the committee, the project includes building a residential home for priests, a museum and a hostel for visiting tourists and Christians.
He said the project will be implemented in three phrases, and is expected to be completed in five years.
“We have so far mobilised about Shs400m to kick start the first phase, which constitutes the erection of priests’ residential home and expanding the size of the church structure,’’ Mr Kalemba said on Monday.
He said he is optimistic that the funds will be raised as they expect support from Christians, government and other well-wishers. While addressing pilgrims on July 3, Bishop Severus Jjumba of Masaka Diocese said the prayer centre was elevated to a national spiritual and religious tourism monument because of its significance to the history of the Church and country.
“Birinzi has become a unique site for the diocese and Uganda, it is going to be regularly used as a place for spiritual renewal and a centre of religious tourism,” he said.
Birinzi is the birthplace of St Charles Lwanga, commonly known as Kaloli Lwanga.
When fully redeveloped, it will be the second of its kind after the Uganda Tourism Board ratified the birth place of another Ugandan martyr, St Kizito, at Kigwe Village in Waluleta Parish, Makulubita Sub-county, Luweero District.
Plans to develop Bugoma site
Early this year, Masaka Diocese also unveiled a plan to redevelop Bugoma Catholic Site into a tourism site. The site on Buggala main island, Kalangala District is where Fr Simeon Lourdel Pere and Brother Amans Delmas (Amansi) made a stopover before arriving at Kigungu Landing Site in Entebbe on February 17, 1879.
