President Yoweri Museveni has postponed this year’s Uganda Martyrs Day celebrations due to fears of the spread of Ebola following an outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and confirmed cases linked to cross-border movement into Uganda.
The annual celebrations, held every June 3 at the Namugongo Martyrs Shrines, usually attract hundreds of thousands of pilgrims from Uganda and neighbouring countries, especially eastern Congo.
This year’s event was expected to attract even bigger crowds, with many pilgrims already travelling on foot towards Namugongo.
In a statement issued on Sunday evening, Museveni said the decision was reached after consultations with the national epidemic response task force and religious leaders.
“After consultations with the national epidemic response task force and religious leaders, we have decided to postpone the Martyrs’ Day to a later date, which will be communicated,” Museveni said.
He explained that the move was necessary to protect lives because Uganda receives thousands of pilgrims from eastern Congo every year, where authorities are currently battling a fresh Ebola outbreak.
The President urged pilgrims who had already started their journeys to return home safely and continue observing health guidelines aimed at preventing the spread of the deadly virus.
“I encourage those who had begun their journey to return home, continue observing the precautionary measures, report anyone who is sick, and encourage those who are ill to seek medical care,” Museveni said.
Health authorities are increasingly concerned about the heavy movement of people across the Uganda-DRC border as religious pilgrims continue travelling to Namugongo.
Reports from eastern Congo indicate that Ituri Province has registered several confirmed Ebola cases, hundreds of suspected infections and dozens of suspected deaths since the outbreak was detected earlier this month.
Uganda has already recorded at least one imported Ebola case involving a Congolese national who later died in Kampala.
This is not the first time public health concerns have affected the annual celebrations. During the COVID-19 pandemic, large public gatherings for Martyrs’ Day were also suspended to limit the spread of the virus.
