Minister warns travellers from Ebola-hit areas

The Minister for Kampala Metropolitan Affairs, Hajjati Minsa Kabanda, has directed the residents of Kampala, Wakiso, Mukono and Mpigi to arrest any person travelling from Kassanda and Mubende districts and hand them over to health centres to be tested for Ebola.

While officiating at the 10th graduation ceremony for Team University in Kampala on Friday, the minister said since Kassanda and Mubende are under lockdown over Ebola, residents from there should not be travelling to Kampala as they might spread the deadly disease to those in the city.

“People think Ebola isn’t there. People have run from Mubende and Kasanda and they have brought the disease to us, which is not proper. If anyone is from those districts, take them to hospital to be tested for Ebola,” she said at Pope Paul Memorial Hotel in Rubaga, Kampala.

The directive comes five days to the expiry of the 21-day lockdown government imposed on the districts of Kasanda and Mubende on October 15 to contain the spread of the Ebola virus that has so far claimed over 30 lives. 

The minister also reminded the graduands of Team University and their parents about the danger of Ebola and said Kampala Capital City Authority has been instructed to ensure that all markets, shopping centres and arcades reinstate hand washing facilities.

At the function, hundreds of graduands obtained post graduate qualifications, bachelor’s degrees and diplomas in different disciplines.

According to Dr Gilbert Gumoshabe, the chairperson board of trustees at Team University, they have acquired land next to the current university premises in Rubaga and they will soon embark on building new bigger facilities with which they hope to get accreditation from the National Council for Higher Education next year.

Prof Tarsis Kabwegyere, the university council chairperson, challenged the graduands to use the knowledge they acquired from the institution to go and serve humanity by being creative thinkers and innovators of solutions to challenges that are affecting the communities they are living in. 

Team University is established on a firm foundation of offering professional and vocational training courses across various disciplines.