By Melanie Aanyu,

The government of Uganda is set to finance the upgrade and maintenance of the Muslims Martyrs site in Namugongo and also start funding the Muslim martyrs day celebrations every year on June 1st.

The good news was conveyed by Rukia Isanga Nakadama, the 3rd Deputy Prime Minister as Muslims under the Uganda Muslims Supreme Council held prayers at Masjid Noor, Namugongo for the souls of the martyrs killed there between 1874 and 1876.

Nakadama disclosed that President Museveni has confirmed that beginning the next financial year, the mosque where Moslem martyrs were killed is to be included in the National budget for construction to lift its face.

The prayers for the Muslim martyrs held annually on 1st June, are to also be sponsored by the government.

In addition to that, the government is to help in reclaiming more than 5 acres of land originally belonging to the mosque which were encroached on and are occupied by residential houses and shops.

President Amin acquired land just opposite the present Anglican Martyrs Church, and laid a foundation for a mosque.

A small mosque made of mud and iron sheets was built at the site to coincide with the Christian martyrs’ celebrations back then. The Muslim martyrs’ site is a historical site as the place where Uganda’s first religious martyrs were killed.