Kampala, Uganda | President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has postponed the 2026 Uganda Martyrs Day celebrations following heightened Ebola concerns in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The decision, announced on his “X” account after consultations with the national epidemic response task force and religious leaders, comes amid fears over the influx of pilgrims from eastern DRC, where an Ebola outbreak has escalated.
“We have decided to postpone the Martyrs’ Day to a later date, which will be communicated,” Museveni said in a statement issued on Sunday.
He noted that Uganda annually receives thousands of pilgrims from eastern Congo for the celebrations at Namugongo, making it necessary for the government to prioritise public safety.
Museveni said in a statement issued on Sunday that the government had decided to postpone the Martyrs’ Day celebrations to a later date, which would be communicated in due course.
Museveni urged pilgrims who had already started travelling to return home and continue observing precautionary health measures. He also appealed to the public to report suspected cases of illness and encourage the sick to seek medical attention immediately.
The postponement follows the declaration by the World Health Organization on May 17, 2026, that the Ebola outbreak in Uganda and the DRC constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).
According to WHO, the declaration was prompted by the confirmation of two imported Ebola cases in Kampala within 24 hours.
Health authorities said the outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo virus strain, for which there are currently no licensed vaccines or specific treatment.
The first Ugandan case involved a 59-year-old Congolese man who died at Kibuli Muslim Hospital on May 11 after travelling from the DRC. Another imported case was confirmed on May 16 in a separate traveller returning from Congo.
Authorities have, however, indicated that no local transmission has yet been detected in Uganda.
In the DRC’s Ituri Province, the epicentre of the outbreak, about 88 deaths and more than 300 suspected infections have reportedly been registered. Cases have also spread to Goma and Kinshasa.
The WHO has advised countries against imposing border closures or travel bans, instead recommending enhanced screening and 21-day monitoring of contacts.
Meanwhile, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention is coordinating regional surveillance and response efforts involving Uganda, DRC and South Sudan.
Uganda Martyrs Day, observed annually on June 3, commemorates the 45 Christian converts executed between 1885 and 1887 under Kabaka Mwanga II.
The celebrations attract millions of pilgrims from Uganda and across Africa to the Uganda Martyrs Catholic Shrine Namugongo and the Anglican martyrs site for prayers, processions and open-air masses.
This year’s celebrations were expected to be held under the theme, “Christ Our Peace: Breaking the Walls, Healing the Nations.”
Uganda Christian University had already taken charge of preparations for the Anglican celebrations, while the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kasese was leading preparations for the Catholic celebrations.
Preparatory activities, including novenas, youth conferences, and special prayer services, had already commenced ahead of the June 3 event.
Government and religious leaders are expected to announce a new date for the celebrations after assessing the evolving public health situation.
