People have something to celebrate after the government lifted the ban on mass worship. Churches, mosques and crusades were closed but not before some religious leaders made the most outrageous statements. Some self-styled “Bishops and “Apostles” publicly ridiculed the dangers of Covid-19, many went even a step further, claiming to have been told by God that the virus would not dare cross into Rwanda. The virus had the last laugh and it is still laughing as people return to mass prayers. Many pastors worldwide used the pulpit to mislead their congregations and Rwanda was not spared. Now they can redeem themselves when they reopen the doors to their places of worship. The government has put in place stringent measures to keep the coronavirus at bay but it should also put in place robust inspection to make sure people are complying. Religious extremism is a dangerous drug. It takes away logic replacing it with zealotry and blind faith. Their fanaticism deprives them of rational arguments and that is what the government should not compromise with. Ours is a secular state but that is no reason why some religious leaders take it upon themselves to mislead and exploit their followers. Some may be tempted to take advantage and turn Covid-19 into the goose that lays the golden egg. They should be given no quarter. Instead, this is a time for religious or cult leaders to prove their usefulness by spreading, not only the word of God but also Covid-19 preventive and containment measures. A time to prove they are solid partners of the government and of the people in this war.
