Pilgrims at Namugongo rest after their journeys from within and outside the country. PHOTO BY Y ISAAC KASAMANI 

Celebrations to mark the Uganda Martyrs Day began yesterday with prayers for the beatification of late Tanzanian President Mwalimu Julius Nyerere. A special service held at the Namugongo Catholic Shrine, was directed to God to “accept intercession through the late Nyerere”.
If a Christian’s problem is solved after praying through Nyerere’s intercession, the former president will be on course to beatification, a first step to canonisation or sainthood.
Hoima Diocese Bishop Emeritus Edward Baharagate led the service on the day now annually celebrated by Tanzania as Nyerere Day.
Those who attended included President Museveni, Tanzanian Premier Mzengo Peter Pinda, Charles Makongoro Nyerere – son of the late President, the Rev. Fr. Alfred Kwene, who represented Bukoba Diocesean Bishop Methodius Kilaini, and Mr Mamerito Mugerwa, the Mayor of Kira Town Council, in Namugongo parish, where the Uganda Martyrs were burnt to death. Christians from Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, also in attended.
President Museveni described the late Nyerere as the “the greatest black man” who practiced Christianity by caring for all people. He commended Nyerere for his effort towards political and economic emancipation of Tanzania and Africa at large and also for promoting literacy through the introduction of universal education and establishing Dar-es-Salaam University.
The President said Africa is getting out of darkness through education.
“We shall continue coming to Namugongo to pray for the beautification and finally for Mwalimu’s canonisation. If we continue knocking and asking, Rome will open for us,” President Museveni said.
Meanwhile, pilgrims who started arriving on Monday for the event, continued streaming in from different areas of Uganda and other countries. Some walked while others travelled in taxis and buses.
“This year, we are expecting between 700,000 and one million pilgrims,” Fr Joseph Mukasa Muwonge, the promoter of the Namugongo Martyrs Shrine project said. The rotational leadership of the celebrations this year falls to Arua Diocese of Uganda. Moroto Diocese led last year while Kabale Diocese was in charge in 2009.
As a security precaution, police this time have proscribed erection of makeshift stalls by business people and food vendors.