By Joseph Kiggundu
KAMPALA.In a bid to curb the spread of a newly declared Ebola outbreak, the Parliament of Uganda has officially banned public and guest attendance from the upcoming State of the Nation Address.
The directive, issued in a May 22, 2026 statement by the Clerk to Parliament, Adolf Mwesige Kasaija, mandates that the high-profile event will now enforce strict Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
The restrictions come just days after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the current Ebola surge—driven by the rare Bundibugyo virus strain—a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. With confirmed imported cases already identified in Kampala following cross-border transmission from the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo, government institutions are moving swiftly to prevent super-spreader events.
According to the official guidance, the event scheduled for June 4, 2026, at the Kololo Ceremonial Grounds, will see dramatically reduced physical attendance.
Only Members of the 12th Parliament and selected essential parliamentary officials will be permitted to attend the function physically.
All dignitaries, diplomats, and guests who had previously received invitations are explicitly advised not to attend physically since Parliament has adjusted logistical arrangements to facilitate full virtual attendance for all restricted guests.
This drastic containment measure follows closely on the heels of the government’s recent decision to indefinitely postpone the annual June 3 Martyrs’ Day celebrations at Namugongo, which typically draws millions of international pilgrims.
As health officials rush to establish containment perimeters and scale up contact tracing across the city, the scaling down of the State of the Nation Address underscores the gravity of the epidemic facing the country.