The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kabale, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Security officials on Saturday afternoon foiled a sensitization meeting held by traditional herbalists in Kabale district.
Over 100 traditional herbalists had converged at Town View Wakanda Guest House main hall located along Mitchel road in Central division, Kabale municipality for the meeting.
However, during the course of the meeting, police officers emerged and ordered everybody to vacate with immediate effect. Police also arrested one person who is said to be the organizer of the meeting and whisked him to Kabale central police station.
Our reporter was unable to get the identity of the person who was arrested. One of the traditional herbalists who declined to reveal his names told our reporter that the meeting was aimed at forging a way forward on how traditional herbalists in Kabale can get involved in the fight against Covid-19.
He also revealed that even the office of the District Health Officer had been invited to be part of the meeting, but they were instead surprised to see police officers emerging and ordering them to go.
Godfrey Nkayahuma, Kabale Resident District Commissioner says that the traditional herbalists meeting was not cleared by security and its motive was not clear. Nyakahuma says that such unnecessary meetings are uncalled for since they create gatherings that were banned by the president in his Covid-19 preventive guidelines.
Alfred Besigensi, the Kabale District Health Officer says that the meeting could not be allowed to happen because his office was not aware if the members who were attending were registered traditional herbalists.
Besigensi also says that when he received their letter early last week, he refused to sanction it and asked them not to dare hold any meeting. Besigensi says that he was shocked to see them defying and holding the meeting.
He also says that his office had received information that ring leaders were inviting other traditional herbalists to attend the meeting on behalf of Kabale district health department.
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Why don’t you listen to what they are saying instead of blocking them, you never know, they may be encouraging people to get vaccinated. Remember people believe in them and you can’t stop that.