Kampala. The Government has postponed this year’s Uganda Martyrs’ Day celebrations, citing heightened public health concerns following a confirmed Ebola outbreak in neighbouring eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The decision was announced by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, who said the move was taken after consultations with health authorities, security agencies and religious leaders, warning that mass gatherings could increase the risk of cross-border transmission.
In his official communication, the President said Uganda receives thousands of pilgrims annually, including from eastern Congo, one of the epicentres of the current outbreak.
“Due to the Ebola outbreak in Eastern Congo and the high level of cross-border movement, we have decided to postpone Martyrs’ Day celebrations as a precautionary measure,” Museveni said in a statement posted on his official X account.
President Museveni Statement on X, https://x.com/KagutaMuseveni/status/2056065452929851610?s=20
The annual celebrations, held every June 3 at Namugongo, attract hundreds of thousands of pilgrims from Uganda and across Africa.
The postponement comes as the World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared the Ebola outbreak in the DRC and Uganda a public health emergency of international concern, following rising infections linked to the Bundibugyo strain of the virus.
Health authorities say the outbreak has recorded confirmed cases and suspected deaths in eastern DRC, with spillover infections reported in Uganda, prompting heightened surveillance at border points.
The virus is known to spread through direct contact with infected bodily fluids and contaminated surfaces, and health experts warn that population movement between the two countries increases the risk of wider transmission.
Uganda’s Ministry of Health has since intensified screening measures at border districts, including monitoring of travellers from high-risk zones, contact tracing, and isolation preparedness at designated treatment facilities.
Officials say rapid response teams have also been deployed to strengthen community surveillance and early detection systems.
The Government says postponing large gatherings is part of broader containment efforts aimed at reducing potential exposure while monitoring the evolving situation.
Martyrs’ Day is one of Uganda’s most significant annual religious commemorations, marking the execution of Christian converts at Namugongo in the late 19th century.
The event traditionally draws pilgrims from Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, South Sudan and the DRC.
Government says a new date will be announced once health authorities determine that the situation is safe for mass gatherings.
Authorities have urged the public to remain calm but alert, emphasising hygiene, early reporting of symptoms, and adherence to Ministry of Health guidance.
Health experts continue to stress that while Uganda has previously contained Ebola outbreaks, cross-border transmission remains a key risk factor during active epidemics.
Further updates are expected as regional coordination between Uganda, DRC and international health agencies continues
