
“In Mwaro, the people are called to pray to God for rain. Colonel Gasanze Gaspard, the Governor of Mwaro district, called on religious leaders to remember to pray to God for rain and asked farmers to irrigate their fields where possible” (Nyaburunga Post, 14.10.2022).
It is now news and the Governor released a statement yesterday telling the religious leaders should remember to pray for rain. That is a serious ask. The priests, clerical staff or anyone else isn’t supposed to be worried about peace, love or take care of the people of faith. No, they are now asked to and tasked to pray for rain.
The governor who is a military man and a part of an oppressive state. Has decided to beg the religious leaders to save the harvest and the farming season. The last resort is to beg the religious leaders to pray for rain.
That makes the governor a rain-man somehow. His so focused on the lack of rain, that he needs a higher power to solve. The military man knows that the guns or the arrests of dissenting voices will not help him. That’s why he asks the priests, pastors or other religious leaders to save the farmers of the district.
The Governor should also ask help from the Ministry of Agriculture and help with water-storage facilities, which the farmers can use in the future. There is a need to think pro-active and long term solutions. Because, living on hopes and prayers only take you so far. He could even try to get some guidance and wise words from the realms of the State House Ntare Rushatsi.
There should be help on the way. However, asking or prayers is showing how dire the situation and drought is. Secondly, also how few tools the Governor has or the state has to help their farmers in the district. Certainly, there is more to the story, but it’s not a good look. Peace.














