I was finalizing an article on management in the ‘post covid-19 era’, when news broke that the wave is resurfacing! I will therefore hold my breath on that. Let me get to the preparations for June 3 2022. In 2021, the host diocese, Masaka held a virtual celebration with only a small congregation allowed at the shrine grounds. This year, Fort Portal diocese has just rolled off a publicly attended Martyrs day. Again, as it has been since 1990, I found myself in the inner circle of the preparations.
By the time of writing this, the organizers had not done an evaluation for me to listen into their recommendations. Through the preparations, however, there are issues that were noted for the future. I will again highlight some practical insights, not much different from what I have written about in previous years. Fort Portal diocese was informed six months to the day. This was understandable. Certainly in the June 2021 virtual pilgrimage by Masaka diocese, who had, by the way, missed their year of 2020 due to the peak of Covid-19, it was unclear what government guidance would be for 2022. Thus, the Episcopal Conference would not assign one of their own to start preparations till guided on the appropriateness of such a large gathering. Nonetheless, they put hands together and with support of the entire country managed to have a great success. In the last two weeks to June 3, organizing committees from Fort Portal were on ground; to make
rehearsals and test all the frameworks they had set from home.
As I rounded up meeting various committees to share past experiences, one cardinal idea surfaced: “a skeleton team of the next diocese should have been here to understudy Fort Portal”. By now, each of the 19 dioceses has at least organized once since the Bishops adopted this conveyor scheme. The dynamics of hosting martyrs day are so rapid that a returning host may need to work with the current to make out their model. That is the principle of getting two chain dioceses aware; the second in line appoints a lean team to sit closure to the organizers and understudy their work.
I have previously proposed through this Leadership Magazine and other forums that the hosting diocese should be announced on June 3rd and preparations begin on June 4! The diocese to understudy the host should not be known publicly but the Episcopal conference would do that internally; they would only be known the following year on June 3rd. This is possible since the cycle by ecclesiastical province is known and the choice of diocese within that region. A hybrid idea is also on my mind. Hundreds of pilgrims annually come from Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Congo, from among our closest neighbours.
Supposing the Episcopal conference extended invitation to their brothers in this neighborhood to organize? Certainly, the internationality of Martyrs day will extend from attendance to organizing. I am seeing an image of a celebration where the host is Kisumu Archdiocese! In the same vein, Bishops could bring into the fold Religious Institutions and Congregations. At one time in the past, Makerere University chaplaincy were the organizers. It is enriching and inclusivity to model out the ministry of organizing martyrs day to this level. However, whatever form it will be at a given time, the subsequent organizers should understudy the current hosts.
The University is “under new management’, thus stakeholders especially parents, alumni, prospective students should look out to renewed vigour in the institution in its service to the public. It is a new energy in an already set direction. A new CEO’s tenure clock begins with adaptability, then within-paradigm learning and finally a combination. This will gradually raise performance. As we look out to a newer UMU, let us all, key stakeholders support the new team.
By Prof. Vincent Bagire
