How Covid-19 affected Martyrs Day businesses

No buyers. A vendor waits for customers to buy rosaries at Catholic Shrines Namugongo on June 3. Photo by Alex Esagala.  

In Summary

• The annual Martyrs Day celebration was attended by few selected people as the country maintains restrictions on public gatherings as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
• However, due to stringent restrictions on public gatherings, the business people who normally sell products to the pilgrims were out of business.
  Ms Linda Josephine who deals in catering business has been providing food to pilgrims since 2017.

By PAUL MURUNGI

The cancellation of this year’s Martyrs Day celebrations due to Covid-19 pandemic did not only affect those for whom the day is an important date in their religious calendar.

It also disrupted the projections of different businesses that depend on the boost in sales that are linked to the annual event.

Every year, vendors, small businesses and companies pitch camp in Namugongo, Wakiso District to cash in on close to two million pilgrims who visit the Martyrs Shrines for pilgrimage on June 3.

However, due to stringent restrictions on public gatherings, the business people who normally sell products to the pilgrims were out of business.
Ms Linda Josephine who deals in catering business has been providing food to pilgrims since 2017.

She said for the past three years, she has been earning about Shs3m in profits per the Martyrs Day. However, for this year, she didn’t earn any penny because the celebrations were called off.

“I have been earning some good money from this day but this year has really affected me. I’m looking forward to next year,” she said.

Ms Noet Baluka who is one of the dealers selling religious items has been earning close to Shs2m on this day but the cancellation of the event has left her with nothing.

Mr Ben Tenywa, the chief pilgrims guide at Uganda Martyrs Catholic Shrine, said the cancellation of the Martyrs Day fete left many people, especially those who were earning from it cursing.

He said the business community used to earn from offering catering services, selling religious items, providing accommodation and selling merchandise, among others.
Mr Tenywa said the Church also used to earn from this day.

“We normally have 150 people operating within the premises of the Church and we charge between Shs 250,000 and 500,000 for space,” he said.

Mr Tenywa said Namugongo landlords have also been collecting cash from vendors by renting out space depending on the size. They would charge between Shs50,000 and Shs 300,000, which is used to provide cleaning services, security and power.

Developing faith based tourism
Uganda is on track to develop religious sites across the country to attract more tourists to such places.

In 2015, the Ministry Of Tourism Wildlife And Antiquities developed the National Tourism Sector Development Plan 2015/16 – 2019/20 with one of the key objectives to develop and strengthen partnership with faith-based institutions to promote faith-based tourism.

Upgrading of key religious sites has been done which has resulted into a huge number of both domestic and foreign tourists with its ripple benefits boosting the economy.

CALLED OFF
Fighting Covid-19
Every year, christians from across the world flock to the shrine in a journey of faith to commemorate this day in honour of their religious heroes. But this year, the fete was called off as the world struggles to contain a new strain of coronavirus.

editorial@ug.nationmedia.com