Uganda’s President, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, has postponed the annual June 3 Martyrs Day celebration due to the outbreak of Ebola in the Eastern parts of the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo.
In the statement posted on his X handle, Museveni said after consultations with the national epidemic response task force and religious leaders, they have decided to postpone the Martyrs’ Day to a later date, which will be communicated.
“This decision was made because Uganda receives thousands of pilgrims annually from Eastern Congo, which is currently experiencing an Ebola outbreak. To safeguard everyone’s lives, this important event must be postponed.”
He added, “I encourage those who have 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. We regret any inconvenience caused, but the protection of life must come first”.
June 3, Martyrs Day, is a national public holiday in Uganda commemorating the 45 Christian converts who were killed on the orders of Kabaka Mwanga II between 1885 and 1887. The main event takes place at Namugongo. The celebrations honor 22 Catholic and 23 Anglican altars that chose death over renouncing their faith. They were beatified in 1920 and canonized in 1964 by Pope Paul VI.
The government yesterday confirmed an imported case of Ebola Bundibugyo Virus disease following the death of a 59-year-old Congolese national who had crossed into Uganda from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
According to a statement issued by the Uganda Media Centre and the Ministry of Health Uganda, the deceased was admitted to Kibuli Muslim Hospital on May 11 after presenting with respiratory distress, fever, nausea, epigastric pain, and difficulty passing urine. Health officials said the patient’s condition deteriorated while in the Intensive Care Unit before he died on May 14 with bleeding symptoms associated with Ebola.
“The Ministry is confident that there is no cause for alarm. The situation has been contained,” said Alan Kasujja in a press release issued on Saturday.
