The Journey of Martyrdom from Munyonyo to Namugongo
Namugongo,today reverenced as a holy land of the Martyrs, was not hailed as such in the past. Since the reign of the Buganda King Kyabaggu in the 1760s, it was an execution site for persons sentenced to death. The victims of the death row who desperately walked their life’s final journey would reach this place much exhausted. Consequently, many were just hauled there along their backs (na mugongo) – thus the name Namugongo. By the time of execution of the Ugandan Martyrs, many people had been executed at Namugogo. Of the twenty-two catholic martyrs, only thirteen were burnt to death at Namugongo while nine were martyred in other sites.
Joseph Mukasa Balikuddembe, an important member of the royal household and the leader of the catholic faithful is the protomartyr. At the orders of King Mwanga II, he was beheaded and burnt to death on 15th November 1885 at Nakivubo for calling the King upon the massacre of the Anglican Bishop James Hammington and his colleagues. After his death, the Christian pages, then under the mentorship of Charles Lwanga, were the next targets. Charles Lwanga having anticipated the impending danger to the Christian Community, on the night of 25th May 1886, secretly baptized four catechumens, Kizito, Gyaviira Musoke, Mbaga Tuzinde and Mugagga Lubowa.
On the following day, 26th May 1886, at the Royal palace in Munyonyo, the King took the fateful decision to root out Christianity by executing all his Christian subjects who, to his face, boldly professed their faith. Three of them were executed that very day. Andrew Kaggwa, was beheaded on sport and his arms were cut off. Denis Ssebugwawo was likewise beheaded that day but died the following day. The rest, chained tightly and escorted by merciless soldiers, were then led away to Namugongo, about ten miles from Munyonyonyo. It was customary that a random criminal be executed enroute to confuse the gods of the area. The Chief executioner, Mukajanga, picked out Ponsiano Ngondwe who was speared and hacked to pieces at Ttakajunge-Kyamula, just a mile from Munyonyo.
On the following day 27th May 1886, three others were martyred on the way to Namugongo. Athanasius Bazzekuketta was hacked to pieces at Nakivubo-the same spot where Joseph Mukasa Balikuddembe had been beheaded six months earlier. Matia Kalemba Mulumba, thirsting for martyrdom, refused to proceed to Namugongo. His limbs were cut off and martyred at Old Kampala. Gonzaga Gonza collapsed and was later speared to death at Lubaawo near Naalya-Kamuli, just about a mile to the execution site (Namugongo).
Once in Namugongo, the martyrs were confined for about a week before execution. During this time, the executioners did the preparatory work, including collecting firewood and reeds for the holocaust, and this lasted until 2nd June. According to the traditional ritual of execution, was barred from witnessing to a large execution. He would rather isolate one victim and have him executed aside from others. Because Ssenkoole harboured some personal grudges with Charles Lwanga, he singled him out to a spot a few yards away (the current Catholic Site). Lwanga arranged his own deathbed of firewood and was burnt over a slow fire from foot to head at about midday of 3rd June 1886, the Feast of the Ascension. His other twelve Catholic colleagues (Burnt together with other thirteen Anglicans and six other prisoners whose crimes were not related to religion) are the following: Kizito, Gyaviira Musoke Mayanja, Luke Banabakintu, Joseph Buuzabalyawo, Ambrose Kibuuka, Anatooli Kiriggwajjo, Mukasa Kiriwawanvu, Achilles Kiwanuka, Adolph Mukasa Ludigo, Mugagga Lubowa, Bruno Sserunkuuma and Mbaaga Tuzinde. The great holocaust of 3rd June 1886 ended the use of Namugongo as an execution site. Some of the executioners later abandoned their jobs.
Away from Namugongo, on 31st May 1886, Noah Mawaggali was speared to death and savaged by dogs at Kiyinda Mityana. Yoana Maria Muzeeyi was the last to be martyred – almost seven months later on 27th January 1887. Having fled the first persecution, he later declared himself a Christian; he was beheaded, and his body thrown into a swamp at Mengo-Kisenyi. Two Martyrs approached martyrdom with exceptional faith and love of God. They went before us, with their eyes fixed not on the death awaiting them, but on the hope of eternal life promised by the Lord.
The writer is a Pilgrimage Director at St Magdalen’s Pilgrimage Community
