President Yoweri Museveni has banned trucks carrying timber logs from entering or leaving Mubende and Kassanda districts the epiceter of the Ebola outbreak.
In a televised address to the country Tuesday night, Museveni said although he had allowed the movement of trucks carrying cargo including timber, some of the drivers have abused the window and instead engaged in transportation of people which has led to the spread of Ebola to districts such as Wakiso, Kampala, Masaka and Jinja.
Museveni said although they had made progress in Mubende districts where the rate of infections reduced from five cases to three cases per day during the first 21 days of lockdown in the area, the same cannot be said of Kassanda district where an average of five cases continued to be registered daily.
He attributed this to the continued carrying of passengers by Boda bodas, Ebola contacts visiting traditional healers, misconceptions and myths among others.
Museveni warned that if boda bodas don’t stop carrying people, he will be forced to totally ban their movement with or without cargo.
The president also ostracised those who hiding behind religious or cultural beliefs exhume bodies in the guise of giving them proper burial.
This he said is not accepted and must stop.
Museveni has had issue with the leaders of Kassanda district whom he said have not done enough to mobilize the people to fight the virus.
He also reiterated his ban on the trade of traditional leaders during the ongoing epidemic.
He said the actions of these traditional leaders and some religious leaders is also perpetuating the spread of the deadly haemorrhagic fever.
So far, 55 people have died and 73 have recovered from the virus which has now been confirmed in six districts; Masaka, Jinja, Kampala, Mubende, Kassanda and Wakiso.