President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has accepted a request from the religious leaders to dedicate the nation in prayers following the surge in deaths and new cases of coronavirus.
Museveni said on Thursday that Friday will be a public holiday and a 4th National Prayer Session for interdenominational prayers.
The country has recorded a total of 74,260 Covid infections and 752 deaths related to the virus since March 2020.
Museveni said that in the last one month, the number of infections increased by 17 folds and the number of deaths has doubled.
“The President has used powers given to him under Section 2(2) of the Public Holiday Act to declare tomorrow a public holiday to enable the country to hold prayers to seek for God’s intervention in the ongoing Covid pandemic.”
The prayers will be held virtually at State House Entebbe at mid-day, but the leaders of various religious denominations will lead prayers via Zoom.
Museveni has asked all Ugandans to pray for their health experts and for the different families that have been affected.
Earlier this month, Museveni ordered all the higher-learning institutions and schools to be closed for 45 days a move that he said will reduce the further spread of coronavirus.
All teachers have been directed to get the Covid vaccine before they are accepted in schools.
Communal prayers in mosques, churches, or stadia, and other open-air venues were suspended for 42 days.
Museveni encouraged online prayers.
Public and cultural gatherings or conferences, except for the sitting of the Cabinet, Legislature, and the Judiciary were also suspended for 42 days.
