Uganda moves to attract religious tourists from Nigeria

Besides national parks, Uganda also features as an incredible faith based tourism destination due to its numerous religious sites. To boost its faith/religious based tourism sector Peacock Tours and Travel Limited a Nigerian based Tour and Travel Company set into the country of recent on a familiarization tour to promote Uganda martyrs to most of the pilgrims in Nigeria. This company had sent 2 (two) representatives who were hosted by Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) Uganda’s tourism marketing agency. While on their familiarization tour, they on the Uganda Martyrs trail in Kampala beginning from Munyonyo and finalize it in Namugongo at the Martyrs museum. Uganda is however described as an amazing nation and its martyrs trail is one of a kind in African continent. This tour is mainly to help the company make packages and experiences that are ideal for pilgrims in Nigeria and also come into better terms on how Uganda can be marketed in Nigeria.

This company belongs to Peacock Group and features branches in UK and South Africa and its focus is mainly on media, travel and aviation sector. The visit is however intended to boost faith tourism to both African and international pilgrims. That said, the company will provide pilgrims from Nigeria a Uganda martyrs pilgrimage package at Uganda shillings 5968000 which is about 576000 Naira. Previously, the tourism expo used the Pan African channels to display Uganda’s tourism potentials and the martyrs are amazing opportunity to draw large number of pilgrims into the country. Around 2014, UTB introduced the Uganda Martyrs trail which takes visitors through Uganda preaching, teaching, healing and transformation and then sum it up with sites at the martyrdom.

The major sites to explore while on Uganda martyrs trail include the Kigungu church in Entebbe which is also the second site where Fr. Simon Lourdel and Brother Amans landed on 17^th/2/1879 after overnight stay at Bugoma, Buggala Island in Ssese while on his way to Munyonyo to meet King Muteesa the first. Mapeera site which is also in Ssese where Fr.Simon Lourdel who was named Mapeera and Brother Amans first landed into Uganda and spend a night at this point; Mapeera site which is at Kasubi, Uganda Martyrs shrine Munyonyo where missionaries met with the Kabaka who had previously written a letter to Queen Victoria of UK in 1879 mainly to invite Christians to Buganda Kingdom. It was from this area that King Mwanga subjected Christians to death and the monument and church were launched by Pope Francis on 27^th November 2015. Mackay Cave which is situated in Nateete is a site where Alexander Murdoch Mackay, the Presbyterian missionary to Uganda and also a pioneer missionary of the Church Missionary Society that visited Uganda in 1878 arrived at. He is remembered to have taught several skills to most of the people especially in areas of farming and carpentry. He built a cave in Nateete that served as his hiding point at a time when the Kabaka was persecuting Christians. It is also from this cave that is believed that gospel of Mathew was translated into Luganda.

Other sites include the Busega martyrs church where Christians were executed by Kabaka’s men at a time when the Mackay’s cave wasn’t that safe; Rubaga catholic and Namirembe Anglican cathedrals that are found on Rubaga hill and Namirembe hill respectively, St Mathias Mulumba in Old Kampala, St. Joseph Mukasa Balikuddembe which is near Mengo hill, martyrs museum, martyrs shrine, catholic shrine and many more. Every year on 3^rd June, thousands of pilgrims in Uganda, Africa and beyond confine in Namugongo to commemorate the martyrs that were killed by King Mwanga.

In conclusion, Uganda isn’t only popular for wildlife but also for its exceptional religious sites that are worth exploring while you are on your safari in Africa.