Kampala, Uganda: The Inter-Religious Council of Uganda (IRCU) has publicly endorsed the protection of Ugandan herbalist David Ssenfuka’s indigenous medicine research, calling on government to invest more in local medical innovation while tightening regulation to eliminate fraudulent herbal practitioners.
The endorsement follows a meeting between President Museveni, the IRCU Council of Presidents, and Dr. Ssenfuka at State House on June 30, during which the popular herbal researcher presented his work on herbal formulations for the treatment of diabetes and cancer.
In a statement released on Thursday, July 09, 2026, the IRCU Secretary General, Joshua Kitakule, said the meeting with the President allowed religious leaders to understand Ssenfuka’s research journey, “the development of his herbal medicines, and his vision of making affordable treatment accessible to Ugandans and the wider African continent.”
The council revealed that it had also taken note of testimonies from people who claim to have benefited from Ssenfuka’s herbal interventions, including himself, Joshua Kitakule.
According to the council, its engagement with Ssenfuka did not begin recently. IRCU disclosed that it first met the herbal researcher about seven years ago through Bishop Joshua Lwere, who serves on the IRCU Council of Presidents, during which recommendations were made to support his work.
“We are happy that his efforts are paying off now,” the council said in a statement signed off by Secretary General Joshua Kitakule.
Call to protect local innovation
The religious body said Uganda possesses abundant medicinal plants, indigenous knowledge and talented researchers whose innovations should be protected and developed through scientific research.
“IRCU believes Uganda should encourage and protect local innovation. Our country has abundant medicinal plants, talented researchers, and indigenous knowledge that, if researched and developed, can make a significant contribution to healthcare, economic development, and scientific advancement,” Mr Kitakule noted.
“We therefore commend His Excellency the President for supporting indigenous research and innovation and for providing an opportunity for innovators such as Mr. Ssenfuka to engage with relevant government institutions,” he added.
IRCU said strengthening research programmes on herbal medicine would build public confidence in locally developed remedies while reducing dependence on imported pharmaceuticals.
The council argued that credible scientific research could position Uganda as a regional leader in indigenous medical research and pharmaceutical innovation.
While expressing support for indigenous medicine, IRCU urged the public to avoid misinformation and premature conclusions as scientific validation and regulatory processes continue.
The council also appealed to government to strengthen regulation of the herbal medicine sector to protect patients from fraudulent practitioners exploiting vulnerable people.
“At the same time, we urge Government to tighten regulation in herbal medicines to weed out fraudulent practitioners who are exploiting vulnerable patients for financial gain. This will ensure that genuine practitioners thrive,” the statement added.
The faith leaders further emphasised that religion, science and innovation should complement one another in addressing healthcare challenges.
“As faith leaders, we affirm that faith, science, and innovation are partners in advancing human well-being. We pray that God grants wisdom to our scientists, innovators, healthcare professionals, Policymakers, and regulators as they work together to discover safe, effective, and affordable solutions for the health challenges facing our nation.”
Ssenfuka welcomes IRCU endorsement
Responding to the council’s statement, Mr Ssenfuka welcomed the endorsement, saying it reaffirmed confidence in his years of research. He maintained that his herbal medicines are genuine and pointed to testimonies from people who say they have recovered after using his formulations.
Ssenfuka reiterated his commitment to working with government regulators and scientists to ensure his research undergoes the necessary scientific and regulatory processes.
The latest endorsement comes barely a week after Dr. David Ssenfuka vowed to sue journalist Andrew Mwenda and The Independent newspaper over remarks describing him as a “conman.” Ssenfuka has consistently maintained that his work is based on years of herbal research and has called for objective scientific evaluation rather than public condemnation.
The herbalist’s recent engagement with President Museveni and the Inter-Religious Council of Uganda has renewed national debate on the place of indigenous medicine, scientific validation, and regulation of herbal practitioners in Uganda.
At the time of publishing the story, the National Drugs Authority (NDA), a body mandated to regulate medicinal treatment, had yet to comment on Senfuka’s medicinal inventions.
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