President Museveni has called on communities to preserve cultural traditions that promote social well-being while abandoning or modifying practices that pose a threat to public health, particularly during disease outbreaks such as Ebola.
Speaking during his national address on Ebola prevention and control, Museveni said culture should serve to protect and strengthen communities rather than expose them to danger, adding that some practices must be reviewed in light of scientific evidence and changing health realities.
“These cultures are there to preserve us, not to kill us. If they can be modernized, for instance the meat we are eating because of culture, if it can be slaughtered safely and cooked safely, then maybe you can continue. But if it can’t, some of the cultures have to be reviewed,” he said.
The President cited historical shifts in community practices, noting that societies have previously adjusted traditions when faced with major health threats.
He pointed to wife inheritance, locally referred to as “Okungura” in some communities, which once served as a social safety net to support widows and children in the absence of formal welfare systems. However, he said the practice was later reassessed during the HIV/AIDS crisis after it was found to increase transmission risks.
“You remember when AIDS came, there was the culture of Okungura. It was a social arrangement because there were no pensions and no social insurance. But when AIDS came, we saw the danger and we said, please, please, please. And people started reviewing it,” he said.
Museveni also referenced female genital mutilation, describing it as a practice that could not be modified safely and therefore had to be abandoned entirely due to its harmful nature.
“There was no way you could say you would do it properly in a better way. So we had to confront our people and say, please, this one must stop,” he said.
He further warned against food-related cultural practices that expose communities to infection, including the consumption of meat from animals that die of diseases such as Anthrax.
“It’s a cow which has died from anthrax. This one must be cremated. It can’t be eaten because anthrax, even if you boil the meat, the virus may not die. Some people tried to eat it after boiling and they died,” he noted.
The President also reflected on earlier changes in food safety habits, including the shift away from consuming unboiled milk in some communities such as the Banyankole, saying such adaptations show that cultural evolution is already part of social progress.
He emphasized that public health demands continuous adjustment of traditions, especially as Uganda strengthens its preparedness against outbreaks such as Ebola and other infectious diseases, including HIV/Aids.
The remarks form part of government efforts to promote safer health practices and improve community cooperation in disease prevention and control.