Ebola: Religious leaders halt physical prayers for sick people following Museveni’s directive

Different religious leaders under their umbrella body; Inter-Religious Council of Uganda (IRCU) have urged their colleagues to desist from offering physical prayers to Ebola suspects.

This follows a directive by the President of the Republic of Uganda HE. Yoweri Museveni in his address to the nation on Wednesday regarding the status of Ebola in the country, in which he directed the Ministry of Health to come up with stringent measures to discipline different religious leaders and traditional healers who insist on offering physical prayers to people with Ebola symptoms.

It also comes amidst the shock that engulfed the medical fraternity across the country, when a patient with Ebola signs escaped from isolation in Mubende hospital on September 23rd, and fled to a traditional healer in Luweero district for treatment.

The President in his remarks had no kind words for different religious leaders and traditional healers who masquerade to treat Ebola, saying they are archenemies of the country and that their ill tendencies have contributed to an increase in disease related cases.

A visibly angry President Museveni said such characters have to be charged in courts of law, and instructed cyclists, clergy and traditional healers to stop interfering in efforts to contain the spread of Ebola endemic.

“We are not saying don’t use our traditional herbs because they can work in some cases but in cases which are known to us…… You mess with people’s lives but also your lives. If government announces an emergency regarding a deadly disease, you shouldn’t allow people to run to you for redress. Maybe we codify this in statutory instruments in that when there is an epidemic announced, traditional healers don’t accept any cases,” said Museveni in his address to the nation.

This directive creates a difficult situation for Muslims in the country. According to the Islamic faith, washing bodies of the dead known as ablution is a collective duty but for the case of Ebola victims, this is not applicable and henceforth banned in Uganda.

With that in mind, the 2nd deputy Mufti for Uganda his Eminence Sheikh Ali Waiswa warned Muslims in the country to stay away from any practices, that may put them in danger of contracting Ebola virus disease (EVD).

“The Islamic faith teaches us that no advocating for any practices which harm or put the lives of others in danger. So in case there is such an emergency, like the outbreak of a deadly disease, we all ought to cooperate and follow crafted guidelines by health authorities because they have professionalism in such instances,” Sheikh Ali Waiswa said.

“Therefore I urge all Muslims in Uganda to embrace the resolutions and guidelines from the Ministry of Health on Ebola virus disease”

Relatedly Archbishop for Kampala Diocese Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu, who is also the chairperson for the Inter Religious Council of Uganda urged religious leaders to pray for Ebola patients in a way that is in harmony with the guidelines by health experts on deadly diseases.

“….. In that regard, I request my colleagues, religious leaders and all believers to pray towards this cause. Prayers do not disappoint, but we should labour so hard to strictly adhere to guidelines from health authorities to curtail the further spread of Ebola, avoid over crowded places, lets fight Ebola like we fought Covid-19, ” Archbishop Mugalu advised.
On the other side of the coin, the chairperson for Born Again Federation Uganda Pastor Joseph Sserwadda who heads the Victory Church in Ndeeba advised government to stop shifting the blame for its failures in fighting Ebola to the church. He said government has totally failed to effectively track down and trace Ebola suspects, escalating the spread of the disease.

“Religious leaders should execute their mandate in relation to their calling by God, we are not health experts, government has miserably failed to execute its responsibilities in this regard. If they want religious leaders to start preaching health-related messages then they should pay for it,” Angrily remarked Sserwadda.

Nevertheless, the chairperson for Kampala Bodaboda Riders Association Frank Mawejje said the President’s warning comes at a time when the bodaboda fraternity is seriously working on a campaign of mobilizing and sensitizing the public on various ways of curtailing the spread of Ebola.

Also commenting on the above developments, Sophia Namutebi, aka Mama Fiina who heads the traditional healers fraternity in Uganda expressed optimism over what she termed “the President’s appreciation” of their work, and noted that her fraternity will work tirelessly to curtail the spread of Ebola in their areas of jurisdiction.