By Rogers Wanambwa 

KIU, Main Campus – Kampala traders have missed out on business worth 150 billion shillings due to the cancellation of this year’s Martyrs day celebrations, which were called off due to the COVID-19 pandemic

 According to John Ssempebwa, a Historian and Economist, who was hosted this morning on NBS TV’s Morning Breeze show, pilgrims who made it last year to the Namugongo shrines-where the annual celebrations are held- spent around 150 billion shillings.

Ssempebwa explained that the three million people who came to Namugongo last year spent, on average, 50,000 shillings per person, which translates into 150 billion. 

Ssempebwa also said that religious tourism can be exploited more at the future celebrations, which bring in millions of people yearly from all parts of Africa to remember the Uganda martyrs, who were burnt alive on orders from then Buganda King, Kabaka Mwanga between 1885 and 1887.

Picture credit: Flash Uganda Media