No Mr president, prayer and fasting won’t end Covid-19 – Commentators

Social Commentators have condemned President Lazarus Chakwera’s call for people to pray against Coronavirus, saying the pandemic will not be stopped by prayer and fasting.

Chakwera, a former pastor, on Wednesday asked Malawians to pray and fast for three days. He also declared July 19 as a day of Thanksgiving.

But social commentators have argued that the president should take action against the pandemic by among others ensuring that test kits are available and introducing measures that will force people to wear masks, observe social distancing and wash hands.

“Prayers are not a plan, nor is fasting a strategy. The president was elected to do a job, not act as our priest.

“We are faced with a public health crisis in the form of a virus, not some unknown evil spirit. What will make a difference in the lives of Malawians and reassure the people is robust ACTION by their president, led by science and experts in the field,” wrote social commentator Idriss Ali Nassah on Facebook.

Twitter user, Jack McBrams @mcbrams, argued that the pandemic cannot go away because of prayer and fasting.

“Koma #Malawi, are we really serious? That we will tame the Covid-19 pandemic by 3 days of prayer and fasting? We can do better. This pandemic needs practical solutions because it is deaf to prayer,” he tweeted.

Professor Danwood Chirwa said: “The real problem is how he (Chakwera) respects the separation between church and state, and how he makes sure that he doesn’t use the office of the presidency to advance a particular religious denomination. Already he’s failing on both.”

While one Facebook user said: “We need more action on Covid-19 than Chakwera’s priestly duties. We’re not getting tested in time because of lack of resources.”

People who support Chakwera’s call for prayer and fasting have argued that the president has only asked “religiously inclined” people to pray and those who are willing will join.

They have also claimed that president does not see prayer and fasting as a substitute for other actions by the government aimed at ending the pandemic.

“I don’t think the President, in calling for prayer and fasting, is saying that is the strategy for fighting COVID-19. Or that is government policy. No. Don’t twist facts. Government has strategies in place to fight COVID-19 and we are all testimony to that.

In calling for prayer and fasting, the President is only appealing to faithfuls to, again, take up a role of seeking heavenly hand in fighting a challenge before us. To faithfuls, not those who don’t believe, we know that God is supreme and no challenge before His people can’t be tamed,” commented Ephraim Nyondo on Nassah’s post.

Malawi has recorded 2610 cases including 43 deaths and 1005 recoveries. Over 2,00 cases have been recorded in the past 30 days.