Councillor hides over COVID-19

A district executive committee member of Adjumani has reportedly gone into hiding after reportedly testing positive for COVID-19.

The councillor (name withheld), who is also eyeing a parliamentary seat in the upcoming elections, is among six new cases that the district registered last week, according to the local COVID-19 task force.

A close confidant of the councillor, who preferred anonymity, said he was disputing the results and, therefore, opted to go to Kampala for another test.

"He suspects that the positive test could have been the work of his political rivals," the confidant said.

A source at Adjumani district health office expressed disappointment over the conduct of the councillor, saying it will jeopardise efforts to contain the spread of the virus.

Taban Peter Data, the Adjumani Resident District Commissioner, also chairperson of the district COVID-19 task force, confirmed that the councillor had, indeed, gone into hiding.

"We do not know where he is. He has not even come back for another test," Taban said.

The Ministry of Health recently installed a mobile reference laboratory with a polymerase chain reaction test machine at Adjumani General Hospital for local tests.

Godfrey Manga, the acting district health officer, said it is unlikely that results from such a facility can be influenced by local politics.