Leader of Opposition (LOP) Mathias Mpuuga has questioned the logic behind mandatory COVID-19 tests for State House guests.

Mpuuga’s comments were tied to the 25th National Prayer Breakfast scheduled to take place on Sunday, October 8, 2023, under the mantra “Fear not, repent and serve the Lord” at the official residence of President Yoweri Museveni.

The annual event which occurs on the eve of independence brings together political leaders from across the divide and religious leaders.

However, since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, visitors have been required to undertake prior tests, something Mpuuga contends no longer makes sense now that the novel coronavirus is no longer a scare as per World Health Organization (WHO). 

“Will the Minister of Health come to this House and share with Parliament what difference it makes doing a COVID test going to the State House and not any other place? Because we send mixed signals to citizens regarding COVID that actually whenever the State House is mentioned then COVID comes into play. Can we get information,” Mpuuga pressed on Tuesday during Parliament sitting.

“What is it about the State House or the Presidency for that matter and COVID? Because people visiting this country need to understand whether the State House is now the epicentre of COVID in this region and more so in the country. Otherwise, the mixed signals we are sending are not good for us, or else COVID is being used as a cover to transport some other intentions but not declared,” he further posed.

He was joined by Kira Municipality Ibrahim Semujju Nganda (FDC) who wondered whether mandatory tests have to do with President Yoweri Museveni’s advanced age.

However, Minister for Primary Healthcare Margret Muhanga in response informed the House that they are simply acting on the advice of the Scientific Committee.

“It is not true that people test because the President is old. You are all aware the President got COVID a few months ago and beat it. But for the safety of the Fountain of Honor, whom you know very well, Hon. Semujju, he is only one person and so we need to protect him,” Muhanga explained.

“The scientific committee advised that everybody who meets the president does a test, including other heads of state. Not many other people meet the president all the time but the few that meet him,” she added.

Fast forward, she warned MPs against downplaying the threat posed by Covid-19.

“I would like to state that I didn’t attend the caucus sometime back because I had tested positive for COVID. So COVID is still with us, every week we get between 50 and 60 people who have COVID,” Muhanga noted.

Apart from that, Michael Timuzigu (Kajara County, NRM) commented the choice of venue also needs to be changed to accommodate the opposition members “allergic to State House”.

“It is supposed to unite all Ugandans including the opposition and members of NRM, and of course being a function under the Speaker of Parliament, MPs would want to be part. So, we request that your office convinces the President that this national prayer breakfast should be a function for all Ugandans that even the opposition should be comfortable to attend. So, that next time we can have it at Kololo or elsewhere,” Timuzigu suggested.