The Catholic shrine is dedicated to Christians martyred for their faith in the 19th Century.

Some of the pilgrims spent the night holding a vigil near the martyrs' shrines.

President Yoweri Museveni has wished the pilgrims a safe stay in the country and tweeted a photo of the venue:

https://twitter.com/KagutaMuseveni/status/1532640290347143171

The annual event is a big draw to Catholics in the country and the East Africa region. This year's event is the first since the country confirmed its first Coronavirus case in July 2020.

Local media outlets report of beefed up security on roads leading to the Namugongo shrine.

The Daily Monitor newspapre has been tweeting pictures of the event: