UGANDA: President Museveni Condoles Families of Kenyan Pilgrims
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has expressed his condolences to the bereaved families of four Kenyan foot pilgrims who were knocked dead by a minibus taxi while on their way to Namugongo Martyrs Shrine.
In his letter read by the Vice President Edward Ssekandi to the millions of pilgrims that thronged at Namugongo Martyrs Shrine on 3rd June 2019, the president regretted the incident attributing it to reckless driving.
He asked the pilgrims gathered to observe moment of silence as they pray for the souls of the deceased foot pilgrims.
“On a sad note I wish to convey my heartfelt condolences to the people of Kenya upon the death of the four foot pilgrims who were killed because of reckless driving”.
He said Government of Uganda will do all it can to ensure that taxi drivers are given thorough training before they get onto the road.
While delivering the State of the Nation Address on Thursday 6 June 2019 at Kampala Serena Conference centre, the President ordered Honourable Ali Kirunda Kivejinja the third Deputy Prime Minister In charge of East African Community Affairs to get in touch with the bereaved families in Kenya so that they get support from the Government of Uganda.
Meanwhile Archbishop John Baptist Odama, the main celebrant of this year’s Uganda Martyrs Day also asked the pilgrims to pray for the repose of the four Kenyan pilgrims including the other pilgrims from Soroti Catholic diocese who also died while trekking to Namugongo.
On 26 May 2019, four pilgrims trekking from Bungoma diocese in Kenya perished in an accident when a taxi rammed into a group of about a hundred pilgrims heading to Namugongo at Bugodi village in Iganga along Iganga-Jinja highway in Uganda.
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By Isaac Ojok, St. Mary´s National Seminary
