President Yoweri Museveni has said there will be no Ebola lockdown of the country. The president revealed this while meeting Indians in Uganda at State House Entebbe where he hosted them for Diwali.
More than a month after an Ebola outbreak was declared in Uganda, infections continue to climb, and the World Health Organisation has upped its Ebola risk assessment for both the country and wider region since it reached the capital, Kampala.
Tycoon Sudhir Ruparelia who spoke on behalf of the guests thanked the president for the continued steering of the country but also said there were conflicting messages regarding the Ebola lockdown which was affecting businesses.
In response to Sudhir, Museveni said there will be no national lockdown of the country as it was being propagated.
Diwali is India’s biggest and most important holiday of the year. The festival gets its name from the row of clay lamps that Indians light outside their homes to symbolize the inner light that protects from spiritual darkness. This festival is as important to Hindus as the Christmas holiday is to Christians.
On the night of Diwali, celebrants light dozens of candles and clay lamps (called diyas), placing them throughout their homes and in the streets to light up the dark night.
The Indian community presents the strongest and most durable economic and cultural links with Uganda. It is estimated that at present, there are approx. 35,000 Indians living in Uganda, of which majority are Indian passport holders.
The Indian Community is mainly concentrated in Kampala and in the town of Jinja. Indians play a leading role in the Ugandan economy, especially in manufacturing, trade, agro-processing, banking, sugar, real estate, hotels, tourism and information technology.
They employ thousands of Ugandans, and are amongst the biggest taxpayers in the country, estimated to have invested over US$ 1 billion in Uganda in the last two decades. Indian Nationals contribute a major part of Uganda’s direct taxes.
The Indian community engages in philanthropic activities in equal measure. Individuals and companies regularly perform their share of social responsibility. A share of proceeds from various events is donated to social causes in Uganda including sponsoring heart surgeries of Ugandan children in India, assistance to homeless, organizing blood donation camps etc.
