Who were these martyrs?

 

 

Charles Lwanga	Joseph Mukasa Balikuddembe	Noa Mawaggali	Andrew Kaggwa

Athanasius Bazzekuketta	James Buuzabalyawo	John Baptist Kizito

 

 

THE ANGLICAN MARTYRS A group of 23 Protestants were also killed. These were: Mako Kakumba Joseph Lugalama Noe Sserwanga Nowa Walukagga Alexander Kadoko Musa Mukasa Elias Mbwa Robert Munyagabyanjo Fredrick Wigram Kizza Daniel Nakabandwa Kiwanuka Giyaza Mukasa Lwakisiga Lwanga Mubi Wasswa Kwabufu Kifamunnyanja David Muwanga Muwanga Njigija Kayizzi Kibuuka Mayanja Katoogo Muddwaguma Omuwanga

THE MOSLEM MARTYRS Fr. Ddiba, in his book, Eddiini Mu Uganda, mentions two groups of Muslim martyrs who were killed at Namugongo.   The first group of 300 was killed on the orders of King Muteesa I, between 1865 and 1870.   Although Muteesa had a strong passion for Islam, he was against circumcision, which he said offended the traditions of the monarchy.   When the Muslim converts decided to be circumcised, he took this as a rebellion and ordered their death.     Another group of 72 Muslims were killed on June 15, 1876 after they refused to eat meat, which was not slaughtered by a Muslim.   Prominent among them were Kaganyuro and Mponye Buwonyi.

 

The Uganda martyrs, many of them young men, were killed over a century ago by Kabaka Mwanga of Buganda after they refused to renounce their religious faith. People have continued to marvel at their rare courage, zeal and deep faith. It is these qualities of that have given them a heroic status worldwide. But who are these heroes? Brother Tarcis Nsobya, in his book, The African Heroes, describes each of them. Mathias Mazinga brings you the account

 

CHARLES LWANGA
A Muganda from Engabi (bush-back) clan was born in 1861 at Birinzi in Buddu County, Masaka. He was a youth of mighty strength and was good at wrestling.
During the Christian persecution, Lwanga displayed unshakable faith and Christian bravery, leading to his separation from the group by Ssenkoole, the assistant chief executioner and burnt in a slow fire at Namugongo-Busaale. This is where the altar of the Catholic Martyrs’ Basilica stands. Lwanga was killed on June 3, 1886 towards noon at the age of 25.

 

MATTHIAS MULUMBA KALEMBA WANTE
He was a Musoga, who had been captured from Bunya by Magatto, a Muganda warrior, who treated him as his own son and gave him the name of his own clan, Omusu (the edible rat).
Because of his faithfulness and justice, Mulumba was soon promoted to various posts, the highest being assistant chief of the Buganda counties of Bulemeezi and Singo. He was a polygamist, but after his conversion to Christianity, he remained with one wife. He died the most brutal and lingering death at Old Kampala on May 30, 1886. His limbs were cut first, strips of fresh cut from his back. He stayed in that state without a complaint, for three days until he dies at 50 years.

 

ANDREW KAGGWA
He was a Munyoro from Kooki, Bugangaizi County. In about 1869, Kaggwa was captured by Baganda raiders and brought to Buganda as one of the king’s pages. He was smart, clever, obedient and a skilled carpenter. Kaggwa died at the age of 30 on Wednesday, May 26, 1886 at Munyonyo. His hands were first cut off and his body was chopped to pieces.

 

JOSEPH MUKASA BALIKUDDEMBE
He was a Muganda of the Grey-rat clan. He was taken to Muteesa I as a page. Balikuddembe was killed and his body burnt at Nakivubo (St. Balikuddembe market) on Sunday, November 15, 1885 at the age of 20. He was the first Catholic martyr.

 

PONSIANO NGONDWE
He was a Muganda of the white egret clan. He was born at Bulimu in Kyaggwe county, Mukono district. He served as a page of king Muteesa I. Later, during King Mwanga’s reign, Ngondwe was enrolled into militia. He was good at playing musical instruments and at parade. He became a Catholic and was baptised on November 17, 1885. When Christian persecution He was tied up on one rope with a Muslim prisoner, Abdul-Aziz Buliwadda, who had a different case. When they reached at Ttakajjunge, Mukaajanga, the chief executioner, speared him to death. It was Wednesday, May 26, 1886. He was 35 years old.

 

GONZAGA GONZA
He was a Musoga. He was captured by one Kasoma Tegusaaga Bulusi, who treated him as his own son. He was obedient, trustworthy, intelligent and hardworking. He was selected to serve in king Muteesa’s palace at the age of 12.
Gonzaga was arrested from Munyonyo palace. He collapsed in pain on the way to Namugongo at Lubaawo junction and was speared to death by Mukaajanga on Thursday noon, May 27, 1886 at 24 years of age.

 

GYAVIIRA MAYANJA MUSOKE
He was a Muganda of the lung-fish clan. He was a palace page. He was quick, accurate and trustworthy.
Gyaviira is a nick-name which means, ‘the place where he comes from.’ This place referred to was Seguku, along Entebbe road. His father was a guardian of an important shrine and the priest of the famous Buganda god, Mayanja. Musoke converted to Christianity when he was taken to the palace. He was burnt to death at Namugongo on June 3, 1886 at the age of 17.

 

NOA MAWAGGALI (above)
He was a Muganda of the Ngabi (bush-back) clan. He was a skilled potter. He was speared to death at Kiyinda-Mityana on May
31, 1886. The executio-ners Kamaanyi and Mbugano later tied him up on a fig-tree, where dogs ate some parts of his body. His remains were thrown into a road junction to frighten Christians.

 

AMBROSE KIBUUKA KATEKAMU
He was a Muganda. A palace page, Kibuuka was active, social and talented in music. He was cheerful and charitable. He was baptised on November 16, 1885. He was arrested with his cousin Achilles Kiwanuka on May 26, 1886 and burnt to death at Namugongo on June 3. He was aged 18.

 

ANATOLI KIRIGGWAJJO
He was a Munyoro from Kyaka County in Tooro. He was of the Basiita descent. He was captured by raiding Baganda at the age of 16 and taken to a chief called Kisomose, who later took him to Kabaka Muteesa’s palace to serve as a page. He was a skilled hunter. He was burnt to death at Namugongo on June 3.

 

ARCHILLES KIWANUKA
He was a Muganda from Mityana. He was selected as King Mwanga’s page at the age of 15. A faithful messenger and talented singer, Kiwanuka was baptised on November 16, 1885. He was arrested on May 26, 1886 and burnt to death at Namugongo on June 3.

 

MBAAGA TUZINDE
He was a Muganda of the monkey clan and was born in 1869 at Luyonga village near Naddangira in Busiro county. At the age of 14, he was taken to his uncle Mukaajanga, who later selected him to go to the palace. He converted to Catholicism. Tuzinde was hit on the head and his body thrown on the pyre of Namugongo, where it was burnt to ashes on June 3.

 

MUGAGGA LUBOWA
He was a Muganda of the ngo (leopard) clan. He was taken to King Mwanga’s palace as a page. He was kind, intelligent, co-operative and trust-worthy. He was baptised by Charles Lwanga when Chriatian persecution broke out. He was arrested on May 26, 1886 and taken to Namugongo, where he was burnt to death on June 3.

 

JOHN BAPTIST KIZITO
Kizito was the youngest of the martyrs. He died at the age of 14. He was a Muganda from the mamba (lung fish) clan. He was born at Waluleeta in Bulemeezi county, Nakaseke district. A page in the king’s palace, Kizito was smart, jolly and talented in sports. He was arrested with the other Christians on Wednesday, May 26, 1886 and taken to Namugongo, where they were burnt on June 3.

 

MUKASA KIRIWAWANVU
Kiriwawanvu was a Muganda of the sheep clan. Him and his family lived at Mpanga, Mawokota county, but later migrated to Karyankolo in Ssingo county. Kiriwawanvu was taken to the palace of Muteesa I as a page at 16.
He was a giant with exceptional strength and height. He was burnt with the rest at Namugongo on June 3.
Kiriwawanvu is the only martyr who received the baptism of blood.

ADOLPHUS LUDIGO
He was a Mutooro, born in Musazi (Katoosa) village in Myeri, Mwenge county in Toro. Baganda raiders captured him and took him to the palace of King Muteesa I. He started to receive Christian instructions under Joseph Mukasa and later, the missionaries. He was baptised on November 16, 1885. Ludigo anticipated his death because he put on his best on the day he was arrested. He was arrested and taken to Namugongo, where he was burnt on June 3, 1886.

 

JAMES BUUZABALYAWO KALUMBA SSEBAYIGGA
He was a Muganda of the white monkey clan. He was a page in the palace of king Muteesa I. When Muteesa I died, he left the palace and lived with Andrew Kaggwa, who used to send him to the place, to teach Kabaka Mwanga religion. He was baptised on November 16, 1885. He was burnt to death at Namugongo on June 3, at the age of 26.

BRUNO SSERUNKUUMA
He was a Muganda of the sheep clan. He was born in Masaka at the site of the Saza county headquarters.
Sserunkuuma was one of the first pages. Before conversion he was violent and a drunkard who lived a loose life. He was burnt with the other Christians at Namugongo on June 3.

 

JOHN MARY KIWANUKA MUZEEYI
He was a Muganda of the buffalo clan. He was born at Minziiro near the Tanzania border. He was brought up in Kakuuto, Rakai. Bigomba, an official of the Kabaka took him to the palace of King Muteesa I as a page. He was the first Ugandan Catholic brother. He was arrested and beheaded on January 27, 1887. His body was thrown at Jugula (Lubaga road) between Mengo and Namirembe hills. He died at the age of 35.

 

DENNIS SSEBUGGWAWO WASSWA
He was a Muganda who was good at singing. He was the first victim of the king’s rage. He was arrested on May 25, 1886 and killed the next morning at Munyonyo at the age of 16.

 

ATHANASIUS BAZZEKUKETTA
He was a Muganda of the monkey clan. He was also a page in King Mwanga’s palace. He was a clean, orderly, faithful and an obedient boy. Bazekuketta was arrested with his fellow Christians on May 26, 1886. He was speared to death at Nakivubo, where Balikuddembe was martyred, on May 27, 1886 at 20 years of age.

 

LUKE BAANABAKINTU
He was a Muganda of the Mamba (lung-fish) clan.
He was born at Ntolomwe in Butambala County (Mpigi district). He was a professional black-smith and was very clever with an exceptional memory. He was honest cheerful and respectful. He used to walk from Mityana to Kampala, a distance of 40 miles (64km) every week for the Sunday sermon and would return to Mityana to relate it to the other followers. Baanabakintu was arrested with Mulumba on Wednesday, May 26, 1886, taken to Namugongo the following day (but Mulumba was left behind and killed at Old Kampala).
Baanabakintu was burnt to death at Namugongo on June 3, 1886 at 30 years.

 

THE 20TH CENTURY CATHOLIC MARTYRS
Two other people were recently added to the list of the 22 Catholic martyrs bringing the number to 24.
The two were catechists Daudi Okello and Jildo Irwa, who were martyred at Paimol, Kalongo in northern Uganda on October 18, 1918. Paimol, which is 70km from Kitgum, was later named Wi-polo.

Pope John Paul II beatified the two catechists on October 20, 2002. Okello was born in 1900, while Irwa was born in 1902. He belonged to Labongo Bar-Kitoba, another clan of the Acholi people. The two young men were killed by a revolting group from Karamoja, which was hostile to Christianity on April 17, 1918.