As thousands of believers tighten their laces, clutch their rosaries, and embark on the long, dusty pilgrimage to honor the Uganda Martyrs, not all who walk are guided by spiritual devotion.
Alongside the faithful is a quieter, lesser-known journey — one driven not by faith alone, but by hardship, desperation, and the pursuit of new beginnings in the capital.
Rev Fr Moses Owani, head of foot pilgrims from Lira diocese, acknowledges this hidden layer of the journey. He explains that some youth from upcountry communities, unable to afford transport to Kampala, see the pilgrimage as a rare opportunity to reach the city under the cover and companionship of other travelers.
Rev Fr Owani adds that many of these individuals don’t begin the journey with the officially flagged-off groups. Instead, they quietly join along the way, blending into the crowds. Some never even make it to Namugongo but disappear as soon as the pilgrimage procession reaches the outskirts of Kampala.
Their reasons are poverty, unemployment, and the persistent dream of urban opportunity or the Kampala dream. In a country where youth unemployment remains high and rural areas offer few prospects, the Namugongo pilgrimage offers something rare, a discreet, socially accepted way to move on foot.
“This isn’t new,” says Josephine Nantume, a pilgrim from Masaka Diocese. “Every year, we notice people who never return with us. They attend the prayers, but afterward, they quietly disappear into the city.”
Nantume notes that while some start the journey with genuine religious intent, their motives often shift along the way, swayed by conversations, observations, or simply the pull of city life.
She recalls the case of Jessica Nabukeera, now known on social media as “I Came on Foot.” Nabukeera left her home in Kyamulibwa, Kalungu district, during last year’s pilgrimage. Her strange appearance sparked concern, as she seemed mentally unstable.
While her story has since been shared as one of redemption through faith, Nantume sees a different angle: Nabukeera never returned home. For her, and others like her, the pilgrimage was not just spiritual but a pathway out of rural obscurity.
Similar patterns have been observed elsewhere. Alexander Mufumba, a pilgrim from Mbale district, says that the route through Karamoja has increasingly become a corridor for moving children and youth into urban areas.
“Some families use this time to bring kids to Kampala or towns along the way to beg on the streets without raising suspicion,” he says.
Mufumba adds that the movement of street children occurs even outside the context of the Namugongo pilgrimage, but the mass movement of people during this period makes it easier to conceal.
Organizations like Dwelling Places have already documented evidence of hundreds of children walking over 290 miles through harsh terrain and under extreme weather conditions, often alone, to reach the streets of Kampala.
This validates concerns that the Namugongo pilgrimage may inadvertently provide a cover for such movements. Rev. Fr. Owani reported that this year, as they crossed Karuma Bridge, they became suspicious of four young boys who had joined their group without any luggage. The boys appeared to have run away from home.
Upon interrogation, they claimed to be on their way to Namugongo, but their story raised doubts. As a result, they were handed over to the police, who are currently working to trace their families and return them home.
While some criticize this trend as dishonest, others see it as symptomatic of deeper national issues. “If people view Namugongo as a gateway to survival,” says Mathew Mukwaya, a youth from Luweero, “that says more about the country than about the pilgrims themselves.”
Meanwhile, John Mary Kabiro, chairperson of the foot pilgrims from Kakoma Parish in Isingiro District under Mbarara Archdiocese, has made six pilgrimages to Namugongo.
He notes that, in addition to those who join the pilgrimage with the sole intention of reaching Kampala, there are others who take advantage of the journey to steal from the pilgrims—often targeting resting stations where the faithful are most vulnerable.
Every year in late May and early June, roads leading to Namugongo overflow with pilgrims from across Uganda and neighboring countries. They chant hymns, clutch rosaries, paying homage young Christian converts who were executed during the reign of Kabaka Mwanga II.
The Uganda Martyrs Day is one of the largest Christian gatherings in the country, drawing massive crowds for reasons that go beyond religious devotion.
The event carries significant economic, social, and tourism value transforming Namugongo into a hub of spiritual reflection, business activity, and cultural celebration.