The Ministry of Health has asked Joseph Kabuleta, the National Economic Empowerment Dialogue (NEED) Party president, to provide evidence about his claims that immunization is harmful and dangerous to the population, or else stop peddling fake news.
According to Emmanuel Ainebyoona, the Public Relations Officer at the Ministry, Kabuleta makes the accusations each time the Ministry rolls out a massive immunization program.
Aineybyoona made these remarks while addressing a media event held at Makerere University School of Journalism on October 25, 2023, where he urged journalists and media houses to expose people like Kabuleta, who deliberately misinform the public for political mileage, without evidence.
“Without any scientific proof to back up his claims, Kabuleta always confuses people with his wild allegations made against immunisation because he is politically motivated to misinform people,” Ainebyoona said.
“Kabuleta has been de-campaigning for the upcoming anti-malaria vaccination programme, and he was the first person during COVID-19 to peddle fake news about the process in 2021. He tried to dislodge it but failed,” he added.
He noted that it is very easy to access well-authenticated
information by any journalist who wishes to expose fake news peddlers like Kabuleta.
“Tik Tok, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, the Ministry of Health website, the Uganda campus platform, YouTube channels—all these offer up-to-date authentic information,” Ainebyoona noted.
Kabuleta has on numerous occasions told Ugandans not to be immunized, claiming the vaccines will cause dire side effects; an allegation Ainebyoona has challenged him to provide viable evidence.