St. Denis Ssebugwawo Cell Group / Kabondo

Denis Ssebuggwawo (1870-25 May 1886) is a Ugandan Catholic martyr and our patron saint as a christian cell group / Kabondo in UCCC. He was born at Kigoloba in Bulemeezi county. His father was Kajansi & mother was Nsonga. Shortly after his birth, his grandfather was put to death and his father moved his family to their family estate at Bunono Busiro county. Ssebuggwawo was from Edible or Cane Rat (Musu) clan - Thryonomys Swinderianus.

He and his twin brother Kato became catechumen  and were instructed by Saint Joseph Mukasa Balikuddembe. He was baptized on 16 November 1885 by Père Simon Lourdel, M.Afr., also known as Fr. Mapera, and he took the name Denis as his Christian name.

He was a page of Kabaka Muteesa I of Buganda and a page in personal attendance of Kabaka Mwanga II of Buganda. He was tortured and speared by King Mwanga II, for teaching his faith to Mwafu, the chancellor's son and favourite of Kabaka Mwanga, before handing him over to executioner Mpinga Kaloke on the evening of 25 May 1886. On the morning of 26 May 1886, Mpinga ordered his two men, Matembe and Mulyowa, to hack the body of the boy into pieces. Ssebuggwawo was first beheaded before he was hacked into pieces at Munyonyo. He is remembered as the first of the Martyrs of Uganda.