from HASSAN ONYANGO in Kampala, Uganda
Uganda Bureau
KAMPALA, (CAJ News) – AFTER killing more than 80 people, mostly in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), in the most recent outbreaks, Ebola has claimed another casualty in Uganda – the annual Martyrs Day.
For the second time since the day was first commemorated in 1975, and for the second time in the past six years, it has been shelved.
It is held on June 3 each year, marking the execution of a group of 23 Anglican and 22 Catholic converts to Christianity in the historical Kingdom of Buganda, now part of Uganda, between 1885 and 1887.
They were executed under the orders of Mwanga II, the Kabaka (King) of Buganda, against the backdrop of the so-called “Scramble for Africa”, at the height of colonialism.
At the time they were serving at the royal court in the historical kingdom, they had converted mostly from traditional beliefs, specifically the indigenous Baganda religion, and to an extent, Islam. Islam had been practised under the influence of Arab traders from Zanzibar.
Commemorated under a decree signed by then President Idi Amin, Martyrs Day is observed at a major global pilgrimage site, the Namugongo Shrines, in Wakiso, about 15 km northeast of Kampala.
Between 1,5 million and 3 million people typically attend the annual celebration.
The last time Martyrs Day was shelved was in 2020 following the outbreak of COVID-19.
Currently, Uganda’s western neighbour, the DRC, is experiencing a severe Ebola epidemic that, as of this past weekend, had claimed at least 80 lives out of 246 suspected cases.
Uganda has recorded one death out of two laboratory-confirmed cases detected in the capital, Kampala. The deceased is a 59-year-old Congolese man who had recently travelled from the DRC.
President Yoweri Museveni late on Sunday said that after consultations with the national epidemic response task force and religious leaders, the government had decided to postpone Martyrs Day.
It would be marked at a later date, which would be communicated, he said.
The president said the decision was made because Uganda receives thousands of pilgrims annually from eastern DRC.
“To safeguard everyone’s lives, it is essential that this important event be postponed,” Museveni stated.
“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.”
The ongoing outbreaks confirmed late last week are the 16th and 17th outbreaks ever recorded in the DRC since the first in 1976.
The 16th has been confirmed in the Kasai province and is caused by the Zaire strain. The DRC was called Zaire until 1997.
The 17th is triggered by the rare Bundibugyo strain in the Ituri province. It is the one that has spread into Uganda.
Dr Jean Kaseya, Director General at the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), on Saturday convened health authorities from the DRC, Uganda and South Sudan, alongside regional and international partners, to assess the evolving epidemiological situation and align on urgent response priorities.
Discussions focused on epidemiological updates, immediate response priorities, cross-border and point-of-entry coordination, and the status of medical countermeasures, including innovations underway for the Bundibugyo strain.
Africa CDC has activated the continental Incident Management Support Team (IMST) to support countries. Each country has activated domestic response plans.
“Africa’s health security and sovereignty depend on speedy, quality and coordinated action,” Kaseya said.
“I appreciate the commitment of governments and partners mobilising critical resources to respond to the Ebola outbreak.”
President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa, who is the African Union Champion on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response, has expressed solidarity with impacted countries.
“The peoples of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and the wider region must not face this threat alone,” he stated.
– CAJ News