Author: Elina Jonas Ruzindaza

In a message broadcast on Radio Rwanda, Dr. Ngamije assured the nation that among the COVID-19 patients in the country, no one is in critical condition and all are responding well to treatment.

The minister has urged the public not to stigmatize people they suspect to have contracted the virus because it is a disease like other pathogens.

Dr. Ngamije recently announced that the first patient and his wife that have been on COVID-19 treatment will be discharged soon.

“We hope that by the end of this week, the first patient and his wife will have been released from the treatment center. They have no problem so far, now they are fine but we are just waiting for the appointed days to come and check them out and find out if they are no longer infected, and let them go since they are now well,” he said.

The mayor of Ruhango District, Habarurema Valens, told IGIHE that in rural areas, traders often have shops that also trade in food commodities and therefore most started pretending to be concentrating on selling food as they as well sold other items.

He said that in three days, 74 people were slapped with different punitive actions for their violations, 67 were fined with more than one million Rwandan francs and seven imprisoned.

Rwanda has so far registered 41 coronavirus positive cases. To curtail its further spread, the government restricted people’s movement, suspended public transport and ordered all businesses including shops and factories to close. The only traders allowed are vendors in food commodities, pharmacies, and affiliated institutions.

The unfortunate incident took Tuesday evening in Nyamitovu village, Kabuga cell, when the deceased disobeyed police order of stopping at a checkpoint, and instead started a fight with the officers, during which skirmish the two, Jean Claude Nyiramana, 27 and Emmanuel Nyandwi, 25, were shot dead.

It has been reported that as local authorities and security personnel monitored compliance with the implementation of state guidelines for the prevention of COVID-19, the deceased duo ignored the checkpoint and instead parked at a nearby shop where one officer followed and asked them to present relevant documents that the rider, Nyiramana, failed to produce, started a fight, and tried to grab the officer’s gun.

As the scuffle ensued with the police officer pinned down on the ground, the second officer arrived, fired in the air to scare Nyiramana to let free the officer but he [Nyiramana] did not let go. It was at this point that Nyiramana was shot dead.

Realizing the last gasps of his dying friend, Nyandwi tried to grab the police officer with the intent of wrestling and disarming him. He was also shot dead.

In a statement issued via Twitter on Wednesday, Rwanda National Police says preliminary investigations indicate that the deceased were trying to fight police officers on duty.

“Preliminary investigations show that the dead first confronted a Police Officer who was on regular security duty. His colleague shot errant men in self-defense. An in-depth investigation is ongoing.”

The bodies of the deceased were taken to Nyanza District Hospital for autopsy.

A resident native of Bugeshi, Niyonzima Thomas, says they are adjusting to the effects of heavy rains that usually destroy their houses and gardens at the peak of the wet season.

“Here we are adjusting to the wind and rains favored by the surrounding forest. Otherwise, when we are in the rainy season, that’s what happens; houses fly and you see iron sheets in the air like airplanes,” he said.

The Executive Secretary of Bugeshi Sector, Jean Bosco Rwibasira, said the storm did not kill any civilians except for the houses that were severely damaged. He promised to advocate for the residents affected by the storm.

“It has been raining for days, but yesterday rainstorms destroyed 17 houses and household items. No casualties have been reported to the district administration,” he said, adding that as they await assistance, the 17 families affected are housed in neighborhoods.

The deceased, Jean Hakizimana, 35, met his demise at a section where River Nabarongo snakes through Rubumba Village where it is normally flooded.

Residents of the area where the incident took place say that various aqua-based animals, including crocodiles and hippopotamuses, are on a rampage in the area in recent days as another resident was recently killed by a crocodile.

Kamonyi District Mayor Kayitesi Alice has said Hakizimana Jean’s body is not yet found, adding that residents of the area are required to avoid places from where crocodiles breed.

“Citizens are required to refrain from leaving their homes and those fishing from the river should know the boundaries. The said victim had crossed boundaries where human navigation is prohibited.”

In the Eastern Province in Ngoma, Gatsibo and Kayonza districts, about 750 liters were seized and six people were arrested. In the Western Province in Rutsiro District in Mukura Sector, at the home of 51-year-old Habarurema Damien, 420 liters were seized while in the Southern Province in Nyanza, Huye and Nyaruguru districts, five people were arrested with 740 liters.

Eastern Province Police Spokesperson, CIP Hamdun Twizeyimana said all the arrests were based on information provided by local authorities and the public.

“As usual, the police, in collaboration with local authorities and other security forces, have stepped up their efforts to ensure that bar closure regulations are complied with to prevent spreading of coronavirus epidemic. Working on information from local authorities, we found that all these people were selling these illegal liquor.”

CIP Twizeyimana goes on to say that such alcohol is illegal in Rwanda, as well as other drugs. In addition to having a detrimental effect on the health of the user, it causes him or her to commit or participate in crimes such as theft, violence, rape, child molestation, domestic violence, and sexual violence.

He reminded residents that prevention is better than cure, and urged residents to follow the advice given by the authorities on drug and alcohol abuse prevention.

CIP Twizeyimana also called on Rwandans, in general, to keep in mind the current situation in the country and follow the instructions to stay in their homes to prevent the spread of coronavirus

The warning follows orders issued by the Government through the Prime Minister’s Office two days ago, where all residents were ordered to stay home, close shops, avoid unnecessary movements among others, save for individuals and companies involved in vending foods, pharmaceuticals, and other commodities deemed essential in the fight against coronavirus.

On Monday, in various parts of the country, people were stopped from making unnecessary journeys.

Rwanda National Police spokesperson CP John Kabera said it was clear that some people did not respect guidelines issued to fight the epidemic, saying that a person who cannot protect his or her life and of others becomes a problem and should be kept away from the society.

He said there were emergency services approved under the regulations such as shopping, getting medical care, buying pharmaceutical items, among others, but there are people who just wander without due respect to the social distance guidelines.

“We have put in place a monitoring system; when it is discovered that you are touting lies, saying you are going to see a doctor when you are not, you will be arrested and imprisoned, and fined.”

As of March 20, 2020, StarTimes has included the “StarTimes Daily COVID-19 Report” in its programs, as part of the news about coronavirus, which will be broadcast on Channel 12 and the StarTimes app over the phone.

StarTimes has announced that the news program will be available in a variety of languages ​​including; English, French, Portuguese and foreign languages ​​in the countries where it operates.

The program aims to provide urban and rural residents in Africa with skills as a powerful weapon against the epidemic. StarTimes communications director, Lily Meng, said it would cut all the information about coronavirus, educate people on prevention and show them what is happening elsewhere to make them more aware of the truth.

“The StarTimes Daily COVID-19 Report will show people the latest information and coronavirus statistics in Africa and around the world. It will share with people prevention strategies, lessons learned from other countries and make them more self-reliant with their families.”

She said people who still have a lot of questions are still wondering about the coronavirus, but rumors are circulating that may cover the truth. In this information, they tell people the truth and also express the hope of winning the epidemic.

The directive was issued yesterday March 23, 2020, as Rwanda continues to suspend a number of activities in a bid to avoid the spread of coronavirus.

The directive reads in part: “Apart from the food, beverage, water, pharmaceutical, sanitation, electrical as well as the basic equipment manufacturing industries, others are required to suspend their operations for two weeks to prevent the spread of coronavirus. ”

As of yesterday, the number of COVID-19 patients stood at 36.

The new victims include nine people who arrived in Rwanda from Dubai, three from Kenya, two from the United States, one from Qatar, one from India and one person who has been diagnosed with Coronavirus in Rwanda.

The Ministry further directs that:

-* Only basic workers in the factory are to go to work as others work online from their homes

-* Have all the necessary equipment to protect their employees and clients from coronavirus infection, and to maintain a distance of at least one meter between one person and another.

-* Avoid raising the cost of what they produce

-* Determine the number of employees who will be working in these two weeks and give them travel passes.

The Ministry of Health advises that a person who shows COVID-19 symptoms should call the toll-free number 114, get help without leaving his/her home and email to callcenter@rbc.gov.rw, or WhatsApp message +250788202080 or call nearest health center.

The taxi-moto riders have now appealed to stakeholders and authorities to advocate for them so that companies that gave them motorcycles on loan can either revise or lax the repayment regimes to enable them to cope with coronavirus hard times.

Following the implementation of measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus epidemic in Rwanda, various activities have been suspended including taxi-motorcycle operations except when they are carrying essential goods.

Government officials that appeared at RBA to interact with citizens on a number of pertinent issues relating to coronavirus, led by Minister of Local Government Prof. Anastase Shyaka, tackled different questions from listeners and viewers.

Habinshuti Damien, a taxi-motor rider and resident of Kicukiro district, said that the Bajaj motorcycle dealers had told them that they would continue to ask for ‘payments’ in these difficult times which also affected their operations and income

“I would like to ask you to advocate for the people who took the ‘Bajaj’ motorcycles on debt. They should suspend demanding for daily payments in these bad days that we are not working,” he appealed.

Prof Shyaka Anastase promised to spearhead dialogue between the relevant authorities so that motorcyclists are not subjected to further economic depression.