Museveni meets Nebbi clergy, contributes Shs1.3 billion for Martyrs day 

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has announced a Shs1.3 billion contribution to Nebbi Catholic Diocese in preparation for the 2024 Uganda Martyrs Day celebrations.

He made the pledge on April 30 while meeting religious leaders from the diocese at State House Entebbe ahead of the celebrations on June 3 and indicated that he would preside over the event in person. 

Nebbi Catholic Diocese will lead this year's Uganda Martyrs Day celebrations for the second time after first leading in 2007 but required Shs1.3 billion for the event.

The annual event pays homage to the 22 Catholic and 23 Anglican martyrs, who were executed for their faith on the orders of Kabaka Mwanga of Buganda Kingdom between 1885 and 1887. 

Led by Rt. Rev. Raphael Wokorach, Archbishop-elect of Gulu Archdiocese and Apostolic Bishop of Nebbi Diocese religious leaders appreciated President Museveni for his significant contribution to this year's celebrations which coincides with the diamond jubilee since the canonization of the 22 Uganda martyrs, saints revered by the Church. 

Rt. Rev. Wokorach said; “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 Shs500 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.” 

With the president pledging to meet the whole budget of the event, the Archbishop 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," he said.

Rt. Rev. Wokorach was appointed the new Archbishop of Gulu Archdiocese on March 22, 2024, replacing Rt. Rev. Dr. John Baptist Odama who retired. He is set to be installed as Archbishop on July 12, 2024.

President Museveni said the leaders have a critical role in guiding the community to embrace the development agenda. 

“The leaders are busy with other things and yet they have to be talking to the people to solve their problems. My advice is that please tell your congregation the issue of the two modes of agriculture and that it should be intensive farming as opposed to extensive farming.”

The president promised to provide the six tractors to enhance agricultural productivity and pledged to address infrastructure challenges, such as the construction of the Nebbi-Goli road. 

“We had our plans, but we got diverted by the problems we had, including locusts, floods, and COVID. However, it's good that we survived, and that's why we had to hold on to many projects,” said President Museveni.