STOP THE ALARM! PM Nabbanja Blasts Sheema Woman MP Katusiime Over Mystery Disease Claims

Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Robinah Nabbanja on Thursday sharply rebuked Sheema District Woman MP Hon. Adrine Katusiime Mwebesa after the legislator raised concerns over an alleged mysterious disease outbreak in Sheema District.

The heated exchange unfolded during the weekly Prime Minister’s Question Time in Parliament, where Members of Parliament interact with the Leader of Government Business on matters of national concern.

During the session, Hon. Katusiime informed Parliament that an unidentified disease had allegedly broken out in parts of Sheema District, claiming that at least five people had died while nine others were receiving treatment in hospital.

The legislator further described the suspected outbreak as being “more dangerous than Ebola and COVID-19” and appealed to government to urgently intervene and establish the cause of the illness before the situation escalates.

However, her remarks appeared to irk the Prime Minister, who immediately rose to respond after being granted permission by the Speaker.

“Stop being alarmist. We have an economy to protect,” Nabbanja reportedly told the House, warning against making public statements that could create unnecessary panic before health authorities establish the facts.

The Prime Minister subsequently directed the Ministry of Health to dispatch teams to the ground to investigate the claims and furnish government with a comprehensive report on the situation.

The exchange came at a sensitive time for Uganda’s public health sector, with the country having only recently discharged the last Ebola patient from Mulago National Referral Hospital following months of containment efforts.

The incident also comes amid heightened international scrutiny, with Uganda recently featuring on travel advisories issued by some countries over health concerns in the region.

Political pundits have since interpreted the Prime Minister’s response as an indication of government’s determination to avoid statements that could negatively affect Uganda’s international image, tourism sector and economic recovery before scientific investigations are concluded.

Hon. Katusiime has in recent weeks also found herself at the centre of public debate following circulation of controversial images on social media, which she dismissed as AI-generated fabrications.

As the Ministry of Health commences investigations into the reported cases in Sheema, all eyes will be on the findings to establish whether the district is indeed facing a public health threat or a false alarm.