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I’m now Covid-free, Museveni announces after 11 days of self-isolation
President Museveni being cheered by his wife, Janet Kataha Museveni as he walks in the compound of their State Lodge in Nakasero, Kampala after his Coronavirus test results indicated he was negative on June 18, 2023. PHOTO/ PPU
What you need to know:
- Mr Museveni who has been in power since 1986 on June 7 physically addressed Parliament as he delivered the State-of-the-Nation address at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds in Kampala, an event that was boycotted by Opposition MPs who accused him of “wasting billions of shillings of taxpayers’ money on avoidable Covid-19 tests” mandated for anyone to attend his public gatherings.
- Mr Museveni’s test results were first made public during the State-of-the-Nation-Address.
President Museveni announced Sunday that his Covid-19 test results have indicated that he’s negative, 11 days after he went into self-isolation after being infected with the virus.
“On the war with corona, it is now confirmed that I am a veteran graduate of the war with that enemy. It has been exactly 11 days since the battle started officially on June 7, 2023, on the Day of the State of the Nation Address. I had actually felt a mild pre-flu type of state on Tuesday, the day before. I had, however, ignored the symptoms until the following day when I had a slight running nose for a little while. That is when I called my doctors to take samples for checking,” Mr Museveni, 78, said in a Sunday evening statement.
It’s not yet clear how Mr Museveni, who has always been extra-cautious with his health and observing all the Covid-19 Standard Operating Procedures, got infected.
Mr Museveni who has been in power since 1986 on June 7 physically addressed Parliament as he delivered the State-of-the-Nation address at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds in Kampala, an event that was boycotted by Opposition MPs who accused him of “wasting billions of shillings of taxpayers’ money on avoidable Covid-19 tests” mandated for anyone to attend his public gatherings.
The Leader of Opposition in Parliament, Mr Mathias Mpuuga, hours to the afternoon address accused Mr Museveni of “reckless expenditure” on the virus tests and advised him and his family members to observe the Standard Operating Procedures if they were anxious about the virus that the World Health Organisation (WHO) last month declared it was no longer a global emergency after killing millions of people.
Mpuuga urged Mr Museveni, 78, to always conduct virtual meetings instead of subjecting people who wanted to meet him to “costly Covid tests” at the expense of taxpayers.
Mr Museveni’s test results were first made public during the State-of-the-Nation-Address.
“By 1100 hours (June 6), they came back to tell me that two of the samples were negative but one was positive. That is when I decided to travel to Kololo for the Address [on June 7] in separate cars with Maama [Janet Museveni]. I also wanted to drive myself in one of the cars until the doctors reconfirmed to me that the driver’s – ADC’s compartments, air-conditioning wise, are totally separated from the rear compartment.
Immediately, I shared with all of you the story when the 3rd sample was reconfirmed in a more accurate laboratory. Right from the beginning, I told you and my doctor, Diana Atwiine, told me that attack was mild but I had to isolate myself to defeat the enemy and also not to spread the enemy,” Mr Museveni added.
Mr Museveni revealed that he had stopped using facemasks because they were giving him irritations in the throat.
“In Kyankwanzi, I stopped using the mask because it was giving me llergy of the throat and eyes. Thereby, I shifted from the first line of Defence (masks, social-distancing, etc.) to the second line of defence (immunization, nutrition and the therapeutics where necessary). Why hasn’t covidex been regularized? I need a quick answer from Dr Musenero and from the Health Ministry. How can somebody claim that he can cure corona which has killed so many of our People and it is now three years and you have not confirmed his claim or proved it to be a lie? More seriousness is required here,” he said before acknowledging people he said had been praying for him to get well.
