The Government of Uganda has come under fire for double standards in the Ebola fight after allowing the MTN Marathon, which was attended by thousands of people, amid the current lockdown in two districts in central region.
Critics wondered how the government will continue to discourage crowding in the Ebola fight yet it allowed the MTN Marathon, which was even attended by top health ministers and officials, to go on on Sunday, 20 November 2022.
National Unity Platform (NUP) party president Robert Kyagulanyi, aka Bobi Wine, slammed the government to closing schools to control Ebola spread and yet allowed the marathon to go on.
“Today regime officials graced a marathon with thousands of people. Robina Nabbanja, Diana Atwiine from the Ministry of Health, etc! The same regime has kept the people of Mubende and Kassanda under a lockdown to apparently control ebola and closed schools two weeks before time,” Bobi Wine said.
“The citizens are asking- is there an outbreak of ebola in Uganda, or is it a stunt being used to siphon public funds and money from donors? If there is an outbreak, does it only operate in schools? Our country is ruled by criminals who are not even competent to run a sub-county. We all remember how they used COVID19 to carry out grand theft of public funds and money from donors. Of course they also used COVID19 to constrain civic liberties and control dissent. It is a shame that they have made a joke of everything, including public health,” he added.
He was joined by Noah Mutwe who posted: “Ebola task force well represented at the MTN Kampala marathon 2022. Schools were ordered to close two weeks earlier and even Janet Museveni intimated that the starting date for new school calendar of next year , may be postponed from 6th/Feb/2023 because of Ebola19”
Mugume Oscar said: “Am neither a politician nor a government supporter but the question is do we really have Ebola in Uganda.”
Louis Kayongo said: “But this had to do with money. U know very well that our gavt risks life when it comes to money. Mubende case is quite different coz it carries some security concerns.”
The marathon held under the theme, ‘Run for Babies’ aimed to raise funds towards upgrading neonatal and maternal services in four selected health centres.’
Uganda recorded its first case of Ebola on September 20 and by Sunday, the country had recorded 138 confirmed cases, 69 recoveries and 54 deaths, according to the Ministry of Health.