Renowned celebrity Catholic priest Rev Fr Deogratius Kiibi has been arrested for defying a presidential directive on religious gatherings.
Kiibi, the parish priest of Mpigi town was arrested alongside about 7 other faithfuls who reportedly gathered for mass today Sunday according to Captian Godfrey Matovu the Mpigi district internal security officer.
President Museveni in cumulative measures and guidelines over the last 3 weeks, banned all mass gatherings including religious activities, closed down education institutions, banned public transport in a bid to stop the spread of coronavirus in the country.
The pandemic has ravaged the entire world with countries such as Spain and Italy recording in excess of 600 deaths each per day. Uganda currently has 30 confirmed cases.
Kiibi becomes the second clergy to be arrested over the coronavirus pandemic after controversial 'pastor' Augustine Yiga of Revival Church, Kawaala. Yiga also arrested yesterday for allegedly uttering false information and spreading harmful propaganda in relation to the spread of COVID-19 pandemic in the country.
Yiga, commonly known as 'Abizaayo' allegedly used his television station (ABS TV) to tell the public that there was no coronavirus in Africa. He coined his argument on the fact that no single death had been declared in a number of African countries, yet in the western nations with advanced medical systems are losing hundreds of people every day. He said there was no way a countries like Uganda, Tanzania or DRC with weak health systems can fail to register coronavirus deaths yet Italy and Spain are overwhelmed.
"If government wants to arrest me it can go ahead but the truth is there is no coronavirus in Africa," he said.
In the video which has been widely shared on social media, the TV host is heard asking the pastor whether his claim is backed by a spiritual vision from God. However, the pastor avoids the question and instead argued that coronavirus is just flu which has been already existing on the continent.
Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Patrick Onyango says that Yiga's utterance undermines government efforts in fighting the pandemic and exposes the public to dangers of laxity in observing the guidelines issued by the ministry of Health on its control and prevention. Onyango adds that Yiga's action is considered as a direct attack on the people of Uganda.
Prior to his arrest, Dr Daina Atwine, the ministry of Health permanent secretary took Twitter to condemn Yiga and also appealed to the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) which regulates broadcasters to whip his TV station over what looks to be a breach in the required standard. She further alerted the police to take action.
"UCC and police need to help (and) bring this person to book. Our laws are clear," Atwine said. She added that many other Ugandans on social media were already bashing the pastor who in the video dared the police to arrest him.
Section 171 of the penal code act criminalize negligence actions that are likely to spread infection of disease. The offence attracts seven years of imprisonment upon conviction.
A lot of misinformation about the virus has been making rounds in Africa given the fact that it took long before the virus made it to the continent. A few days ago, Zoe ministries' 'prophet' Elvis Mbonye claimed that he had the cure for the deadly virus.
Prophet Mbonye further assured Ugandans that Jesus had told him that the disease was not going to make it to Uganda. However, barely a few days after his claims, Uganda registered her first case and the toll has since risen to 30 cases.
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