Scientists have warned Ugandans to boil the "holy water" before drinking it at two religious landmarks in Wakiso district because of the presence of pathogenic microorganisms. Drinking the water reportedly increases the risk of serious illnesses such as diarrhea, pneumonia, abdominal pain and fever.
Despite this, many Ugandan pilgrims believe the water from the artificial lake at the Catholic shrine and the spring at the Anglican shrine has healing powers and can cure all kinds of ailments. Many use it to sprinkle around their business premises and homes for good fortune, happiness, peace and blessings. Other pilgrims believe that the water can even improve crop yields.
The pilgrims wait in long queues at the two shrines, with some using up to 10 liters of water to treat ailments.
"This water is very holy. It can cure all diseases, especially the demons. You can use it in your business to get customers. You just sprinkle it around the business, and you are able to attract customers," said Clovis Kyomusiime from Ruhinda Parish, Rukungiri District, who traveled to Namugongo in a group of 42 people, as quoted by Ugandan newspaper Monitor.
The water is accessed during the annual commemoration of the Uganda Martyrs, a group of 22 Catholic and 23 Anglican converts to Christianity in the historic kingdom of Buganda, now part of Uganda, who were executed between January 31, 1885, and January 27, 1887.
According to Fred Oundo, the education officer at the Uganda Martyrs Seminary, it's widely believed that the martyrs' executioners washed their blood-stained hands and weapons in the spring where the Anglican shrine now stands.
Thus, the spring water at the Anglican shrine is believed to have become holy through contact with the blood of the martyrs, and the Anglican church has installed taps at the spring to make it easier to collect the water.
"Basing on the faith that the martyrs had, when someone comes with a problem to this place, being a holy land, they are also cleansed of their sins and evil spirits and more so, get blessings," Oundo said.
The second source of "holy water" - a man-made lake at the Catholic shrine - reportedly began as a pond created in a swampy area at the site where one of the martyrs was killed, and later the pond was expanded into a lake.
According to Reverend Jackson Bwambale, an Anglican priest and community relations officer at the Kira police station, the "holy water" works for people of faith.
"As a priest, I believe it is your faith that makes you well, not the water that is here. The faith that you have is what makes you well," Bwambale told the media.