Ishasha-Kyeshero border posts closed over Ebola outbreak fears

The Ishasha-Kyeshero border post between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in Kanungu District has been closed following the Ebola outbreak.

Kanungu Resident District Commissioner, Mr Ambrose Amanyire Mwesigye, said on Monday that the decision was taken to reduce the risk of Ebola spreading from the DRC into Uganda through the movement of people and goods.Mr Mwesigye, who also chairs the Kanungu District Ebola Taskforce, said authorities will closely monitor interactions between communities on both sides of the border, adding that security deployment along porous border points has been strengthened.

“We have closed the Ishasha and Kyeshero border posts with the Democratic Republic of Congo because of the Ebola outbreak in the eastern part of that country,” he said.

He added: “While cross-border trade and interactions are important, the health and safety of our people come first.”Meanwhile, Kisoro Resident District Commissioner, Haji Badru Sebyala, said the district was yet to convene an Ebola task force committee meeting to assess the situation before deciding whether to halt movement through the Busanza-Kitagoma and Bunagana border posts.

“We shall hold a district Ebola task force committee meeting to discuss measures to protect our people from contracting Ebola,” he said.

Haji Sebyala added that he had already sensitized worshippers at Kisoro Main Mosque during morning prayers about how Ebola spreads and planned to address traders at Kisoro Main Market later in the day.

Kisoro District Health Officer, Dr Bosco Muhangi, said health alerts had been circulated through social media platforms, with village health teams and other stakeholders in border communities urged to remain vigilant in preventing the spread of the disease.

The Mayor of Mupaka Town Council in Kisoro District, Mr Emmanuel Ndekezi, advised Ugandans who frequently cross into the DRC to tend to their gardens to exercise caution to avoid contracting Ebola.

He also noted that the M23 leadership, which controls some border communities near Kisoro District, had reportedly closed the official Kitagoma-Busanza border post as part of efforts to contain the outbreak.