Tragically Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza died this week.
The official reason for his death was a heart attack but almost certainly he died as a result of Covid-19. His wife Denise was flown to Nairobi two weeks ago for treatment for Covid-19 at the Aga Khan hospital. She was discharged this week. Other members of his family have reportedly tested positive.
With President Kenyatta, we mourn the death of a fellow East African.
However his death provides important lessons that should not be ignored.
Nkurunziza insisted that Burundians should not worry about Covid-19 as they go about their normal business. He said that God would protect Burundi from Covid-19. Unfortunately that did not save him.
Contrast that with another evangelist, Bishop Margaret Wanjiru, who was hospitalised at the Aga Khan last month with Covid-19. On her discharge from hospital, she was frank with the media and advised Kenyans to take the threat of Covid-19 very seriously.
That's the lesson we should draw from Nkurunziza's death. We should not panic - we can protect ourselves with masks and social distancing. But nor should we become complacent because Covid-19 is still a killer.
Quote of the day: "You can kill a man, but you can't kill an idea."
Medgar Evers
The American activist was murdered on June 12, 1963
