Namugongo, Uganda | Uganda Christian University (UCU) will take the lead in organising the 2026 Martyrs’ Day celebrations, the Church of Uganda announced on Tuesday during the 140th commemoration service at the Anglican Martyrs Shrine in Namugongo.
The announcement was made by the Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, the Most Rev. Dr Stephen Samuel Kaziimba Mugalu, who described the selection as a significant moment for the university and the wider Anglican community.
He said that UCU, being the provincial university, had been chosen to organise the 2026 Martyrs’ Day event and noted that the Church was looking forward to a meaningful celebration with the institution, assuring it of full support and encouragement.
Martyrs’ Day, observed every 3rd of June, honours the memory of 45 Christian converts — including 23 Anglicans — who were executed between 1885 and 1887 on the orders of Kabaka Mwanga II of Buganda for refusing to renounce their faith.
The day is one of the most prominent events on Uganda’s religious calendar, attracting thousands of pilgrims from across the country and beyond.
UCU, based in Mukono, is one of Uganda’s most prominent Christian institutions of higher learning.
The Vice Chancellor, Canon Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi led the university’s delegation to this year’s event.
The sermon was delivered by former Archbishop Rt. Rev. Dr Henry Luke Orombi, who called on Christians to remain unwavering in their faith despite current societal pressures.
He observed that the martyrs understood the suffering they would endure but also had confidence in the eternal glory that awaited them.
He expressed his belief that the martyrs were welcomed into that glory.
Following the announcement, UCU expressed its appreciation for being entrusted with such a key role in the national Christian calendar.
In a brief statement, the university noted that it was grateful for the opportunity and affirmed its readiness to serve the people of God with what it termed “UCU excellence” during the 2026 celebration.
The 2026 celebrations will require UCU to coordinate liturgical programmes, logistics, hospitality, and mobilisation efforts, working closely with the Church of Uganda and other stakeholders to manage the influx of national and international pilgrims.
Church leaders have described the selection as both an honour and a responsibility that will test the university’s organisational capacity and spiritual commitment.
Preparations are expected to commence in the coming months.
This year’s event marked 140 years since the first martyrdoms and was attended by thousands of pilgrims, clergy, and dignitaries from across the Anglican Communion.
The shrine, a symbol of faith and sacrifice, remains one of the most revered religious sites in East Africa.
