Several members of Triple Six (666), a religious sect in Mbale district have fled their homes for fear of being arrested following their resistance against the on-going immunization exercise against measles.
The exercise launched by President Yoweri Museveni in Angagura in Pader district on Friday, ends on Monday. It has, however, met stiff resistance from the followers of Triple Six in Mbale district, who refused to take their children to the immunization posts.
Majority of the followers of the sect are in the areas of Namanyonyi, Adrah, Nakaloke, Bibyango, and Busiu. They are reportedly saying their religion does not allow any foreign drug to enter their bodies and hence cannot allow their children to be immunized.
Dr. John Baptist Waniaye, the Mbale district health officer told Uganda Radio Network on Monday that where as the majority of residents have embraced the exercise, they are registering stiff resistance from the members of this religion sect.
He said most of them have fled their homes to their villages for fear of arrest. He said the immunization officials have reported the matter to the police and the office of the Resident District Commissioner. Two of the followers have been arrested.
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Dr. Waniaye says he has also received reports that fellow members of the sect in Sironko and Manafwa districts are resisting the immunization exercise.
Emmanuel Mitala, the Mbale Deputy Resident District Commissioner, says his office has launched investigations into the activities of Triple Six, who neither go to the hospital nor send their children to school. He says they claim that the two institutions are against their religious beliefs.
Mitala said when he visited the areas where most of them live on Monday, he found that none of them was at home and was told that they have fled with their children to the villages.
He confirms the arrest of two of them on Sunday, but declined to identify them for fear of jeopardizing police’s investigation.
He accused them of trying to sabotage government’s program of eradicating measles in the country.
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The district health officer, however, says they have registered an overwhelming turn up as parents brought their children for immunization.
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Triple Six, a religious cult known worldwide, was introduced in Bugisu in 1992 in Bulambuli district. It has spread into the districts of Sironko and Manafwa where majority of its followers are.
The number 666 is talked about in the book of Revelations 13:18 as a number that will be used to mark all the followers of the beast. This will be a period where no one will be allowed to buy or sell anything without bearing one.
