Harare, (New Ziana) – President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Thursday proclaimed June 15 as the national day of prayer and fasting in the fight against the growing menace of Covid-19.

He also announced that church gatherings of not more than 50 people would now be allowed, but should follow strict Covid-19 guidelines including social distancing among congregants.

Since the end of March this year when the first COVID-19 case was recorded, Zimbabwe has seen at steady rise in infections which stood at 320 as at Wednesday, including 4 deaths and 49 recoveries.

The government introduced a nationwide lockdown, curtailing movement of citizens among a raft of other measures including mandatory wearing of masks in public as well as banning of gatherings to curb the spread of the disease.

Taking the fight against the disease to a spiritual level, President Emmerson Mnangagwa said prayer and fasting, in the largely Christian country, would allow the nation to seek God’s “mercy, wisdom, help and healing to overcome this deadly pandemic.”

“I therefore proclaim June 15, 2020 as the Presidential national day of prayer and fasting,” he said.

“Let us offer prayers of petition to the Lord that He may grant us His mercy, deliver us from this noisome pestilence and give us the wisdom to take effective steps to overcome it.”

President Mnangagwa said a two-hour sermon would be hosted at State House on the day, which would be broadcast live to the rest of the nation, while appealing to citizens on the day to “give up one, two or all meals in fasting.”

He lauded churches for the role they have played in spreading the word on the impact and preventing the spread of Covid-19.
New Ziana