Muslims in Rwanda are preparing to celebrate Eid-Al Adha while coping with all restrictions in place to contain the Covid-19 pandemic. This years holy festivity will be celebrated on Tuesday, July 20 which has been declared a holiday by the Ministry of Public Service and Labour. Eid-Al Adha is normally celebrated by a prayer and slaughtering of lamb, cow or goat and meat is freely shared among Muslims as well as non-Muslims in the community. However, it will be a different picture in Kigali city and other eight districts placed under the lockdown since Saturday July 17. Accordkng to Sheikh Suleiman Mbarushimana, the Spokesperson of the Rwanda Muslims Council, meat will this time round be distributed door to door. “After slaughtering the sacrifices at Nyabugogo slaughterhouse, there will be a team in charge of distributing all the meat pieces to people in nearby communities,” explained Mbarushimana. “This will be conducted in high regard to Covid-19 measures and with the help of youth volunteers and grassroots authorities,” he added, explaining that there will also be slaughtering in different provinces. Sheikh Mbarushimana also disclosed that in this celebration, 500 animals will be slaughtered which is less compared to the previous years where over 2,000 were slaughtered during the celebrations. Regarding prayers which normally brings together believers on the morning of this day, Mbarushimana said this will not happen in Kigali and the districts under lockdown. He said that prayers will be done from home.
