The National Drug Authority (NDA) warned the public to beware of a fake acaricide (chemicals used to kill ticks and mites) called ‘Tickoff’ advertised at Miracle Center Cathedral, pastor Robert Kayanja’s church.

According to Abiaz Rwamwiri, the NDA Public Relations Manager, the counterfeit acaricide is manufactured and distributed by CPM Wave and was first publicly promoted by Pastor Kayanja at Rubaga Church during the 2022 Christmas season.

“Pastor Kayanja is on record announcing that he, together with his other accomplices, had come up with an “incredible organic” product that kills ticks instantly. Our teams engaged and met with Pastor Kayanja and his partners (Marvin Mukasa and Clinton James), who owned up to the product and claimed to have a team of scientists from Makerere University School of Veterinary Medicine who were lead investigators. NDA reached out to the said teams, who confessed that they had never worked with or reviewed anything from Pastor Kayanja or any of his associates,” Rwamiri said.

However, the influential pastor and his team refused to provide the ingredients of the product. But NDA worked with Uganda Police to seize over 100 samples and take them to government laboratories for analysis.

Rwamiri said that since telling Pastor Kayanja that his product was fake, he has cut off all communication with NDA teams and tried to blackmail them. The NDA strongly condemns Pastor Kayanja’s actions in using his privileged position to entice desperate farmers at a time when Uganda is facing a tick resistance crisis. His intention was not only criminal but also intended to cheat Ugandans.

Rwamiri said that while the NDA works with the police to hold Pastor Kayanja and his accomplices responsible for their crimes, the public should not use Tickoff as an acaricide. This is especially true in the districts of Kiruhura, Lyantonde, Sembabule, Gomba, Isingiro, and parts of Karamoja, where this product has been distributed.

NDA directed all farmers who had received supplies of the product to drop them off at any police station for easy collection and also called upon the public to be vigilant and report all suspicious products on the market that could be adulterated.

NDA urged citizens to report any counterfeits to NDA at 0800101999 toll free or 0740002070 on WhatsApp.