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For the first time in recent memory, the national Uganda Martyrs Day celebrations at Namugongo Catholic Shrine will not take place, the Uganda Episcopal Conference has announced.

In a press release dated Tuesday, 26th May 2026, the Conference confirmed the cancellation of this year’s event, which had been scheduled for 3rd June. The decision follows earlier guidance issued on 18th May and is understood to be linked to the ongoing Ebola outbreak.

“As a result, the Diocese of Kasese will animate the celebrations in 2027,” the statement read.

While the national gathering at Namugongo is cancelled, the Church has made clear that the martyrs will still be remembered.

“This year’s commemoration of the Uganda Martyrs shall be held at local churches under the guidance of the respective Diocesan Bishops and in consultation with the relevant Government authorities,” the press release stated.

Church leaders have been instructed to strictly observe the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) issued by the Ministry of Health regarding religious gatherings. This includes social distancing, hand hygiene, and limits on congregation sizes measures designed to prevent the spread of the Ebola virus.

The Uganda Episcopal Conference used the announcement to appeal for continued spiritual support during the health crisis.

“We call upon the Catholic faithful and all people of goodwill to continue praying for our nation, health workers, and all those affected by the Ebola outbreak,” said Rt. Rev. Joseph Antony Zziwa, Chairman of the Uganda Episcopal Conference and Bishop of Kiyinda-Mityana Diocese.

Uganda Martyrs Day is one of the largest religious events in the country, drawing hundreds of thousands of pilgrims from across East Africa and beyond to Namugongo each year. The day commemorates the execution of 45 Christian converts both Catholic and Anglican who were killed on the orders of Kabaka Mwanga II between 1885 and 1887.

A national holiday is declared on 3rd June each year in their honour.

The Catholic Shrine at Namugongo, built in the shape of an African hut, stands on the very ground where 22 of the martyrs were burned to death. A normal pilgrimage year sees overnight prayers, processions, and open-air Masses attended by bishops, government officials, and thousands of faithful.

With the national event cancelled, diocesan bishops will now coordinate local commemorations in their respective regions. Pilgrims who had planned to travel to Namugongo are advised to check with their local parishes for alternative arrangements.

The Diocese of Kasese, which was originally scheduled to lead this year’s celebrations, will now take up that role in 2027.

For now, the Church’s focus remains on public health. As Bishop Zziwa noted, continued prayer for the nation and for those battling Ebola is the most urgent call of this moment.

Just days after being dramatically sacked as Prime Minister, Ousmane Sonko has been elected Speaker of Senegal’s National Parliament, a stunning countermove that sets up a direct institutional challenge to President Bassirou Diomaye Faye.

The election, which took place on Tuesday, transforms Sonko from a dismissed subordinate into the second-highest political figure in the country. His Pastef party holds a majority in the National Assembly, giving him significant leverage over the president’s agenda.

The development follows months of simmering tension between the two former allies, whose once-unified front had powered Pastef to electoral victory. Now, their rupture threatens to paralyze Senegal’s government at a time of mounting economic pressure.

Sonko and Faye rose together as political insurgents, challenging the old guard of former President Macky Sall. Sonko, 51, was the movement’s fiery heart barred from running in the 2024 presidential election due to a defamation conviction, but still commanding massive support, especially among Senegal’s youth.

Faye became president with Sonko’s backing. In return, Sonko was named Prime Minister. But the alliance was never comfortable.

For months, relations deteriorated. Sonko openly criticized Faye’s handling of Senegal’s debt problems a sensitive issue for a country already under financial strain. The president, analysts say, grew weary of sharing power with a figure whose popularity rivaled his own.

On Friday, Faye made his move: he sacked Sonko and appointed economist Ahmadou Al Aminou Lo as the new Prime Minister.

But Faye underestimated Sonko’s next move.

By securing the Speaker position, Sonko has placed himself directly in the president’s path. As head of parliament, he controls the legislative agenda, committee assignments, and crucially the approval of key government policies.

President Faye cannot dissolve parliament until at least two years after the last election. Any attempt to prematurely end lawmakers’ mandates before November 2026 would be considered invalid. That means Sonko’s parliamentary stronghold is secure for the foreseeable future.

Analysts say Sonko’s elevation as Speaker could severely limit Faye’s ability to maneuver on debt restructuring, budget approvals, and major reforms.

“Sonko’s position as Speaker gives him veto power over the president’s legislative priorities,” said one Dakar-based political analyst. “Faye may be the head of state, but Sonko now controls the chamber that must approve his agenda.”

Senegal has long been considered one of West Africa’s most stable democracies. But the country has a history of high-stakes political confrontations and this latest crisis raises fresh uncertainty.

The debt-challenged nation needs coherent leadership to navigate economic headwinds. Instead, it now faces the prospect of a divided executive and a hostile parliament.

Sonko, as an opposition MP, was renowned for fiercely challenging former President Macky Sall’s policies often using parliamentary tactics to disrupt government business. He has already shown signs of adopting the same approach against his former boss Faye.

“It’s the same Sonko, just a different target,” one observer noted.

The immediate future depends on whether Faye and Sonko can find a working modus vivendi or whether their rivalry escalates into full institutional gridlock.

Sonko would almost certainly have taken the presidency himself had he not been barred from the 2024 race. Now, from the Speaker’s chair, he remains a heartbeat away from power and a constant thorn in the president’s side.

For Senegal’s citizens, many of whom admire Sonko’s combative style, the crisis is both captivating and concerning. The young people who once marched for Pastef now watch as their heroes become rivals.

The coming weeks will reveal whether Senegal’s democracy can absorb this shock or whether the Sonko-Faye rupture marks the beginning of a prolonged political paralysis.

President Yoweri Museveni has questioned the growing excitement surrounding Arsenal Football Club’s recent success, saying he finds it difficult to celebrate sports achievements while many Ugandans continue struggling with poverty and unemployment.

Speaking during a public address, Museveni used the example of Arsenal’s championship celebrations to emphasize what he described as the need for Ugandans to focus more on economic transformation, household income generation, and national productivity rather than excessive excitement over foreign football success.

“How can I celebrate Arsenal’s championship when Ugandans are still poor?” Museveni asked, as he reflected on the country’s development priorities and economic challenges.

The president’s remarks come at a time when Arsenal supporters in Uganda and across Africa have been celebrating the English club’s recent achievements, with football fandom remaining one of the continent’s most dominant cultural and entertainment trends.

Uganda has one of Africa’s largest followings for English Premier League football, with clubs such as Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester City commanding massive fan bases.

However, Museveni argued that national attention should increasingly shift toward wealth creation, industrialization, agriculture modernization, and employment opportunities capable of improving people’s livelihoods.

The president reiterated his long-standing message that sustainable economic transformation begins at household level through participation in productive sectors such as commercial agriculture, manufacturing, services, and ICT.

According to Museveni, entertainment and sports should not distract citizens from addressing the country’s socio-economic realities.

His comments quickly sparked debate online, with some Ugandans agreeing that economic development deserves greater national focus, while others defended football as an important source of recreation, unity, and emotional escape amid economic hardship.

Sports analysts note that football remains deeply embedded within Uganda’s social culture, with major European football matches attracting millions of viewers and generating significant business activity through sports betting, broadcasting, merchandise sales, and entertainment venues.

The remarks also reignited conversations around the role of sports and entertainment in society, particularly in countries facing economic pressures.

Critics argued that football and entertainment can coexist alongside national development efforts and often provide moments of joy, social connection, and mental relief for ordinary citizens.

Others pointed out that global sports industries themselves create jobs, economic opportunities, tourism, and international branding value when properly invested in.

Museveni has previously used football analogies during public speeches to communicate political and economic messages, often urging young people to prioritize productivity, patriotism, and self-reliance.

The president’s latest comments add to ongoing public discourse about balancing entertainment culture with economic transformation as Uganda continues pursuing industrialization, infrastructure development, and poverty reduction programs.