EBOLA CRACKDOWN: Police Bar Public Events Without Health Ministry Clearance

By Ben Musanje

Police have directed all organizers of public events to obtain clearance from the Ministry of Health before seeking police authorization, as Uganda intensifies measures to contain the Ebola outbreak.

The directive comes amid a rise in confirmed Ebola cases, with the Ministry of Health reporting six new infections by Friday last week, bringing the country’s total confirmed cases to 15. The ministry said the new infections were identified among known contacts of previously confirmed cases. Uganda has so far recorded one death, two recoveries, and 12 patients remain hospitalized.

Speaking during a weekly security briefing at Naguru on Monday, Kampala Metropolitan Police Deputy Spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire said police would only clear public events that had first been approved by the Ministry of Health. He explained that organizers would be required to present a clearance letter issued by the ministry, detailing guidelines on how the event should be conducted before police authorization could be granted.

Owoyesigyire noted that organizers of concerts and other public gatherings would need to secure approval from the Health Ministry in addition to obtaining permits from police and the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA).

He said police had already implemented preventive measures at stations across the country, including mandatory handwashing and discouraging handshakes among visitors and officers. He added that authorities had also restricted activities involving close physical contact, sweating, and direct interaction among participants due to the heightened risk of disease transmission.

As part of the preventive measures, Owoyesigyire revealed that police had recently stopped a boxing tournament because it involved physical contact between participants, which could facilitate the spread of the virus.

The latest directive effectively places the Ministry of Health at the center of the approval process for public events as the government seeks to limit situations that could accelerate transmission of Ebola.

Health officials and security agencies are urging members of the public to remain vigilant and adhere to preventive measures, including regular handwashing, use of sanitizers, and minimizing unnecessary physical contact.

Meanwhile, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has warned against blanket border closures, saying such measures could increase the risk of Ebola spreading by encouraging travelers to use unofficial crossing points that are more difficult to monitor.

Uganda has previously contained several Ebola outbreaks through aggressive surveillance, contact tracing, and public awareness campaigns. Authorities say the current restrictions are intended to strengthen prevention efforts and reduce opportunities for transmission as health teams continue monitoring contacts and investigating new cases.

Owoyesigyire urged the public to remain alert, emphasizing that Ebola remained a real threat and that compliance with health guidelines would be critical in containing the outbreak. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).