President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has said the second wave of Covid-19 is currently killing Ugandans because of laxity in the adherence of the presidential and Ministry of Health directives against the pandemic.
President Museveni the revelation during the 4th National prayers against Covid-19 that were held on Friday at State House Entebbe.
“We told people for over one year and a half to adhere to the directives but they refused that is why we have over 800 people dead. This idea of praying and praying I don’t believe in it. People must know that science is from God and if the doctors orders you, do so. We cannot say pray, pray, I reject that and if I was still in churches, I would start my movement called science lead church,” Museveni said.
He said that at first, the pandemic killed few people because Ugandans were positively responding to the directives but in the second wave, people have deliberately refused to adhere to the measures thus causing the country problems. He however appealed to them to try adhering to directives as the government finds a better solution to deal with the spiking cases of Covid-19.
“Therefore, I want to appeal to you to be careful, until we get the vaccines. This crisis is big because we have not embraced the Godly order to establish dominion over nature. So let’s adhere.”
President Museveni’s statements were corresponding with the preacher of the day Rt. Rev. Dr. Fred Sheldon Mwesigwa, the Bishop of Ankole Diocese and Coordinator of Inter-Religious Council Uganda (IRCU) Peace and Stability Forum, Western Region who said that Uganda is in a race to protect its people against the coronavirus and one of the efforts in this context is vaccination.
“There are many people out there who do not believe in science. Some young people I know have refused to go and get vaccinated. Fellow religious leaders, let us urge our people to go for vaccination and medical attention. Prayer alone is not enough, ” Rev Mwesigwa said.
“Yes, there is a besiege by the enemy, but God will protect us. Let us believe that the Lord, God, will help us win this battle. I have a conviction that we shall overcome. If we trust in Him, we shall overcome. If God is for us, who can be against us?”
The Mufti of Uganda, Sheikh Ramadhan Mubajje, also the chair of the Inter-Religious Council of Uganda Council asked the government to work with key leaders, including religious leaders, to ensure that Covid-19 is defeated.
“Some entities are taking advantage of the current situation. The cost for treating COVID-19 patients is ‘extremely high and is even worse in private health facilities’. Therefore, the IRCU has a number of recommendations to the Government, including regulating private health facilities and subsidizing electricity costs in private health facilities in order to lower,” he said.
Meanwhile Apostle Joseph Serwadda of Victory church in Ndeeba under the guidance of a biblical book Proverbs 30:7 asked President Museveni to include religious fraternity in the cluster essential workers because they also want to be part of the solution even if in a small way.
“We also want to offer to Government our redundant facilities, including gardens, for use in the COVID-19 fight. Allow us to ask our contacts abroad to provide vaccines to Uganda. Grant us a fully-fledged ministry of religious affairs,” he said.
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