Staff Reporter
Every June 3rd, millions of Christians gather at Martyrs’ Shrine in Namugongo to honor the memory of nearly 50 men and boys who were killed between 1884 and 1887. These individuals were executed on the orders of Kabaka Mwanga of Buganda for rebelling against him and renouncing the traditional Lubaale religion. However, lesser-known is the earlier event in 1875, where scores of Muslims were executed on the orders of Kabaka Muteesa I, Mwanga’s father.
This occurred amid tension when Muteesa, initially supportive of Islam, resisted circumcision and other Islamic practices. Criticism from a group of Muslim fundamentalists from Egypt incited rebellion among his subjects. The king ordered the arrest of those who refused to consume meat slaughtered by uncircumcised Muslims. Despite persistent refusal, they were eventually executed, with over 70 martyrs burnt to death at Namugongo. Only three known Muslim martyrs survived the ordeal: Yusuf Sebakiwa, Amulane Tuzinde, and Musirimu Lwanga, who later succumbed to natural illness, likely exacerbated by the arduous journey to Namugongo.
While Catholics and Anglicans commemorate this day, Muslims in Rukungiri District abstain from participating, despite some of their own martyrs facing similar circumstances. Byarugaba Issa, a member of Rukungiri Main Mosque, explained that Muslims do not pray to the deceased but instead seek forgiveness from God for their sins.
He emphasized that although the Muslim martyrs killed in Namugongo demonstrated faithfulness to Allah, they erred by ignoring warnings from Kabaka Mwanga, suggesting they could have migrated to areas where they could worship freely, thus avoiding their deaths. Sheikh Kayole Abdulmalik Byaruhanga, the Rukungiri District Kadhi, added that Muslims only pray for forgiveness for the deceased martyrs but do not celebrate them, as Allah is the ultimate creator and taker of life.
The Muslim community will commemorate the day on June 10, 2024, unlike previous years when it was marked on June 1, two days before the Christian festival.
