Namugongo Martyrs site is in the process of being transformed into the world’s first faith best tourist site, so that people don’t look at only 3rd June for them to come, but be able to tour every other day.
According to Enock Rukundo, the Uganda Martyrs Museum Administrator, the tower was the dream of the Late Archbishop Livingstone Mpalanyi Nkoyoyo, which the church is putting into implementation with Bishop Allan Matovu being the chairman of the museum complex project.
“Namugongo is in the process of being transformed into the world’s first faith best tourist site. Now this is the dream of the Late Archbishop Livingstone Mpalanyi Nkoyoyo that we are putting into implementation. And Bishop Allan Matovu is the Chairman of the Uganda Martyrs Museum, this complex project and I am the Administrator,” he said.
He revealed that, the dream was to start with the core site. This is called the core site because it has the site of execution of the martyrs and the reason people trek from all different countries to namugongo is because of the young people who gave their lives.
“The dream was to start with the museum core site. This is called the core site. Why, it has the actual sites of execution of the Martyrs and it is the reason we are here, it is a reason we are Christians because these are young people who gave their lives and from those exact places in the complex,” Rukundo noted.
The museum is a combination of both the Anglican and Catholic Martyrs, and the focus of implementers is bringing about unity through the museum because the Martyrs were united and never allowed their difference in belief to take way the common goal. Twelve Catholic Martyrs and thirteen Anglicans were killed at the Anglican site, according to Rukundo.
“As a museum, we are looking at unity, and promoting the ecumenism of these young people being Catholics and Anglicans killed here. Museum you put history, you don’t put what you like. We have twelve Catholic Martyrs who were killed at the Anglican site and thirteen Anglicans,” Rukundo said.
He said that even the foundation stone in the in the museum was laid by Pope Francis reason being they are one. Because when one loves God, they don’t love a portion of his people and that’s why the core site is at the Anglican Church and is called a museum.
However, to the Administrator, as they are developing the place, they realize that there’s need to preserve the African traditional belief and cultural heritage. That’s why they have to build the museum tower complex.
“The new tower complex will be part of the sites that people will be able to come, tour and appreciate since people normally come all over from the West, East North and across borders. Much of the history inside the museum is more attached to Buganda because it was the king of Buganda “Kabaka Mwanga” who ordered for the execution of the Martyrs,” Administrator Rukundo revealed.
Rukundo confirmed that, the reason for the museum is for people to know their culture before until the current status. The museum tower is going to be constructed where formally Namugongo Mixed School was before it was relocated.
The museum tower is going to be a seven stowage building with each floor having a different art facts. The first floor will be an Amyl Amphitheatre, where one will sit and have cultural performances just like those at Ndere cultural center. The next floor will have a road to martyrdom, another floor showing world life, while another will contain different cultures and origin plus a research center having a library and IT room, to enable people do good research about the Martyrs.
The artistic intention on how the tower building will be, was derived from the Anglican logo designed with artistic impression of reeds they wrapped the Martyrs, fire and crown of life. The tower is intentioned to be centered in the middle so that it can be seen with the 3 crosses, the 2 crosses are already in place they need to put the one of Jesus Christ which will be the tallest. When designing the plan of the tower, they related biblically. They believe the tower will be the icon of the Anglican Church, and hope to start the construction works end of 2023 or early 2024.
