President Yoweri Museveni has postponed this year’s Martyrs’ Day celebrations, citing growing concerns over the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the region.
In a statement addressed to Ugandans, particularly the “Bazzukulu,” Museveni said the decision followed 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.
The President explained that Uganda annually hosts thousands of pilgrims from the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, an area currently battling an Ebola outbreak, making large religious gatherings a potential public health risk.
“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, it is essential that this important event be postponed,” he added.
Museveni urged pilgrims who had already begun travelling to return home and continue observing preventive measures, including reporting suspected cases and encouraging the sick to seek medical attention.
“We regret any inconvenience caused, but the protection of life must come first,” the President noted.
The development comes amid heightened vigilance by health authorities following confirmation of a new Ebola outbreak in Uganda linked to the Bundibugyo virus strain. The Ministry of Health confirmed the outbreak in mid-May after a positive posthumous test involving a patient in Kampala.
On Friday evening, Museveni also revealed that he had convened a meeting of the national epidemics task force at Nakasero State Lodge to assess the situation.
“This evening, I met the task force on epidemics in Nakasero. We discussed the Ebola situation in the region, and we will communicate the way forward. There is no cause for alarm,” the President posted on X.
Health officials have since intensified surveillance, contact tracing, and cross-border screening as authorities seek to contain the spread of the disease.
Martyrs’ Day, celebrated annually on June 3 at Namugongo Martyrs Shrine, attracts millions of pilgrims from Uganda and across the region, making it one of the country’s largest religious gatherings.
