Apologize For Your Fake Reports: Museveni Urges Media Apology Over Vaccine Reports

By Our Reporter

President Yoweri Museveni has demanded a media apology over reports that “people close” to him reportedly received COVID-19 vaccine jabs from China’s Sinopharm, ahead of health workers and other vulnerable groups.

In his response to a story which was published by a local newspaper on February 23, 2021, Museveni, through his lawyers, Kiryowa Kiwanuka and Edwin Karugire of K&K, describes the media reports as misinformation

Museveni’s lawyers said the words published were meant to harm our client’s reputation, the President of the Republic of Uganda has not been involved in enabling people close to him to receive the COVID-19 vaccine ahead of health workers and other vulnerable groups.

The information was abusing his position as the president of Uganda. These are grave allegations,” Museveni’s lawyers said, noting that the President demands an apology over the publication.

Museveni’s lawyers added in their February 24 letter to the local newspaper that the statements are completely false and malicious. The article you published was calculated to aid and has, indeed, greatly disparaged the reputation of our client who occupies the most senior leadership position in the country.

Museveni has also described the publication as “reckless”, adding that his senior press secretary, Don Wanyama, and the spokesperson of the Ministry of Health, Emmanuel Ainebyoona, described the reports as “untrue” when the local newspaper contacted them.

Museveni lawyers said that the instructions given to the local newspaper are to immediately withdraw the libelous matter and publish an apology on the first page of your Monitor newspaper. The text of the said apology and retraction should be agreed upon with us in advance.