Mozambique’s president on Tuesday asked for “sacrifice” from the Muslim community so that the country can “emerge victorious” from the fight against the new coronavirus, in a message alluding to the celebration of the festival of sacrifice or Eid al-Adha.
“Every citizen, faithful to Islam, is asked, as Ibrahim did in the past, to accept today the appeal in the sense that, once again, we consent to sacrifices so that we may emerge victorious in the prevention of Covid-19, observing the prevention measures recommended in the Presidential Decree,” Filipe Nyusi said in a note from the presidency sent to the media on the occasion of the Eid al-Adha celebration.
The head of state wished the Muslim community a happy holiday, asking Allah to eradicate “this Covid-19 malady that challenges everyone.”
The ruling party Frente de Libertação de Moçambique (Frelimo), also addressed a message to the Muslim community, highlighting its contribution in favor of victims of armed attacks in the centre and north of the country.
“Frelimo appreciates the rich contribution of the Muslim community that contributes to the economic, social and moral growth of the Mozambican homeland,” he said in a statement sent to the media on Tuesday.
Mozambique, which is experiencing the third wave of Covid-19, has seen an increase in the number of cases, deaths and hospitalizations, after a reduction between March and May.
Since the announcement of the first case in March last year, Mozambique has had a total of 1,138 deaths due to Covid-19 and 100,785 infections, 76% of which have recovered, according to the latest updates.
According to the most recent figures from Agence France-Press, the Covid-19 pandemic has caused at least 4,100,352 deaths worldwide, among more than 190.8 million cases of infection by the new coronavirus. (Lusa- 21 July 2021)