Police urge compliance with Ebola measures for Martyrs Day celebrations

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Police have urged Ugandans planning to participate in this year’s Martyrs Day commemorations to strictly observe Ebola prevention measures, as security agencies intensify enforcement of government directives aimed at preventing the spread of the deadly disease.

The government recently directed that Martyrs Day celebrations be held at parish level instead of attracting the massive congregations traditionally seen at the Uganda Martyrs shrines, citing the Ebola outbreak that has affected parts of Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Responding to questions during a weekly security briefing, police spokesperson Rusoke Kituuma said the Uganda Police Force is playing a central role in enforcing government directives and ensuring compliance with public health measures.

“When government communicated the decision, police had a very pivotal role to play in the enforcement of those directives. Our role is to ensure compliance and ensure there are no massive congregations as would have happened if there was no Ebola threat,” Kituuma said.

He noted that police officers are part of Ebola response task forces at national, district and sector levels and are involved in both decision-making and the implementation of disease control measures.

Kituuma said the public had largely complied with the restrictions so far, adding that security agencies were actively enforcing movement controls in areas affected by cross-border restrictions.

“There is enforcement activity along the borderline where there is restricted movement. Police, as part of the enforcement bodies, are highly participating in the restrictions together with other stakeholders,” he said.

Although prayers and religious observances will still take place, Kituuma urged worshippers to follow Ministry of Health guidelines, including regular hand sanitisation, maintaining physical distance and avoiding physical contact.

“We encourage people to adhere to the Ministry of Health guidelines, the sanitisation, keeping distance and avoidance of body contact. Even at police stations, we are strictly cognisant of those guidelines,” he said.

The heightened precautions come as East African Community (EAC) member states prepare for an extraordinary meeting of health ministers to coordinate a regional response to the Ebola outbreak affecting Uganda and the DRC.

The virtual meeting, scheduled for June 1–2, 2026, will focus on strengthening surveillance, laboratory diagnosis, infection prevention and control measures, risk communication and rapid response capacities across the region.

According to the EAC Secretariat, the current outbreak was officially declared on May 15 and is linked to the Ebola Bundibugyo strain, a rare variant for which there is currently no licensed vaccine or specific treatment.

Authorities in the DRC have registered 1,077 suspected cases and 246 deaths, while Uganda has confirmed seven cases and one death.

Health officials say Uganda’s first confirmed cases involved individuals who crossed from the DRC seeking treatment.

The outbreak has largely been concentrated in eastern DRC, particularly in the provinces of Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu, raising concerns about cross-border transmission within the region.

EAC secretary general Stephen Mbundi said the bloc was mobilising regional mechanisms and working with the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), the World Health Organisation (WHO), governments and development partners to strengthen preparedness.

“The EAC remains committed to ensuring that every outbreak meets a prepared community. Our focus is to support Partner States to prevent cross-border transmission while safeguarding the health, social well-being, and economic stability of East Africans,” Mbundi said.

Uganda’s annual Martyrs Day celebrations, held every June 3 to commemorate the Christian martyrs executed between 1885 and 1887, ordinarily attract millions of pilgrims from across East Africa and beyond.