Author: Nicole Kamanzi Muteteri

Balladur, a rightwing premier under Francois Mitterrand’s Socialist presidency, said in a statement that he opened access “so that everyone can freely see what were our actions and their results”.

Access will be granted in April, when a panel of historians will submit their findings on France’s role during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi which claimed lives of more than 1 million victims.

President Emmanuel Macron commissioned the panel in April 2019 amid claims by Rwandans that France supported genocidaires.

They point in particular to Operation Turquoise, a UN-mandated French force sent to halt the killings in June 1994 but which many experts say had little effect.

In his statement, Balladur, who served as premier between 1993 and 1995, insisted that Turquoise had a mandate to ensure the survival of victims on all sides and discourage violence.

Hugues Hourdin, a former advisor to Balladur, told AFP the documents “will show that neither the government nor the army has anything to blame itself for”.

“Mr Balladur would like to remove all doubts about the actions of the government he led, and purge this debate that has been festering for 25 years,” he said.

France’s Rwanda commission has already had access to the archives of both Balladur and Mitterrand.

Macron’s decision to form the panel was seen as a groundbreaking effort to confront France’s troubled history in Africa.

While Rwanda was never a French colony, successive French governments cultivated close ties after the country’s independence in 1962, including training its top military leaders.

It also signed military deals with the then President Juvenal Habyarimana.

The fact that France denied its role in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi has long impaired relations between the two countries.

As former France President Nicolas Sarkozy visited Kigali genocide memorial in 2010, he admitted that his country committed political mistakes in Rwanda which he didn’t explain.

Things worsened during the leadership of President François Hollande until he was replaced by Emmanuel Macron giving hope to shed light into the country’s involvement in genocide.

In 2018, President Paul Kagame visited France on the invitation of his counterpart Macron.

After meeting in Paris with his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame, Macron said he supported a bid to appoint Foreign Minister Louise Mushikiwabo as secretary general of the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF).

“The Rwandan foreign minister has every competence to carry out this role,” Macron said. “I will support her.”

In April 2019, Macron unveiled the establishment of the commission made of experts in history and researchers analyzing writings kept in archives of the country indicating France activities in Rwanda between 1990-1994 to come up with the truth on the role of France in the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi.

In 2016, the National Commission for the Fight against Genocide (CNLG) released names of 22 France soldiers who took role in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

Dr. Mpunga made the observation as he explained why the Government has taken stringent measures to contain the spread of Coronavirus.

Since Rwanda confirmed the first COVID-19 patient on 14th March last year, 8848 people have been tested positive out of 741,036 sample tests of whom 6816 have recovered, 1927 are active cases while 105 have succumbed to the virus.

Following the increase of new infections and deaths where half of current death toll was reported in December 2020, the cabinet meeting held on Monday 4th January 2021 has banned public and private transport to and from city of Kigali as well as between different districts.

Among other resolutions, all business establishments including restaurants, markets, shops and malls shall close operations daily by 6pm.

As for transport restrictions, the cabinet meeting decided that travel will only be permitted for medical reasons and essential services. Additionally, vehicles transporting goods will continue to function with no more than two people on board.

Dr. Mpunga explained that there was possibility for tougher measures but the Government considered other aspects of life that would be affected if total lock down is imposed.

“People should understand that we should be in the phase of total lockdown considering the current status of the pandemic. Cabinet resolutions were alleviated because we didn’t want to put Rwandans lives at standstill. We realized that it is not the right time because it would leave people’s livelihoods in critical conditions,” he said.

“The new measures are designed to allow people continue running basic activities where necessary adhering to preventive measures meanwhile doing health assessment on the increase or decrease of the pandemic,” added Dr. Mpunga.

He explained that closing businesses at 6pm is meant to help people return home earlier which can also reduce traffic jam or susceptible accidents as people rush to reach home before curfew hours.

The cabinet meeting has also prohibited movements from 8pm to 4am and decided that inter-district travel will only be permitted for medical reasons and essential services while vehicles transporting goods will continue to function with no more than two people on board.

Dr. Mpunga revealed that permitted medical reasons include medical transfers using ambulances while an individual can take a patient to a health facility with possession of medical test results.

He explained that the decision also concerns people living in the neighborhood of Kigali City returning home every day.

As Dr. Mpunga said, relevant institutions will not prohibit movements for people granted passes.

“Relevant officials will make decision whether a person can be allowed to make inter-district movements for specific tangible reasons. If necessary, an individual will have to go for COVID-19 test before authorization,” he noted.

Concerning employees who had traveled to enjoy festive seasons in different parts of the country, Dr. Mpunga explained that no special arrangement for them because current measures require institutions (public and private) to operate at no more than 30% capacity of staff.

Commenting on new measures, the Minister of Justice and State’s Attorney General, Johnston Busingye has via twitter handle reminded Rwandans to adhere to preventive measures that things otherwise worsen.

“Happy New Year Rwandans. 2021 starts but Coronavirus is biting. 105 have succumbed to the pandemic, half of whom died in December 2020. Not a small number is critically ill. Current Covid-19 news is disappointing. You understand what next if inter-district lockdown is not successful. Let us protect ourselves willingly,” he said.

As he featured in a talkshow on local TV and radio stations, the Minister of Health, Dr. Daniel Ngamije recently on 13th December 2020 said that the high level of complacency and individual behaviours is spreading the virus leading to increase in daily infections, thus derailing the national response efforts.

“The surge in the number of cases in the last two weeks has caused concern; the rate of infections is high, we are now seeing infections in many parts of the country and in various groups of people,” Dr. Ngamije said.

Other factors connected to spread of the virus, include some hotels and restaurants that have been reportedly turned into bars while bars guise as restaurants so as to sell alcohol. Police also revealed that some people conceal bottles of alcohol in envelopes or pour alcohol in cups while some hotels have turned into night clubs.
The Minister of Local Government, Prof. Anastase Shyaka recently said that the partnership between the Police and local authorities created a big impact especially between July and September 2020, which partly gave room for the resumption of some services.

“In October and November, many services resumed, lockdown lifted in all places, but unfortunately people misinterpreted this as an indication that the pandemic has been defeated. They became complacent and started disregarding the safety measures,” Prof. Shyaka said.

He further warned of stringent measures against the so called ’the informed’, elite group and leaders, who violate the prevention measures.

According to Prof. Shyaka, about 9600 hospitality establishments have been closed since March for breaching the national prevention directives, with 347 of them closed between December 1-9, 2020.

Appearing on local TV station towards the end of December 2020, Dr Sabin Nsanzimana, the Director General of Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC), related new cases to activities allowed to reopen and complacency against COVID-19 preventive measures.

“Of course, the increase of new patients is related to reopened activities including schools one hand. Secondly, the up surging number is driven by complacency against preventive measures among Rwandan residents. It has been observed that some people relented on some measures including proper wearing of face mask, social distancing. Thirdly, we are assessing the impact of cold weather conditions during this rainy season on spreading the disease,” he said.

Dr Nsanzimana highlighted that attendance to ceremonies for the past three months has also been among causes for increasing cases that people tended to behave as if they were in normal situation.

The resolution is part of other stringent measures taken to control the up surging COVID-19 cases and deaths.

The meeting held at Village Urugwiro was chaired by Premier, Dr Edouard Ngirente.

Since Rwanda confirmed the first COVID-19 patient on 14th March last year, 8848 people have been tested positive out of 741,036 sample tests of whom 6816 have recovered, 1927 are active cases while 105 have succumbed to the virus.

Following the increase of new infections and deaths where half of current death toll was reported in December 2020, the cabinet meeting has set stringent measures to control the pandemic.

Among other resolutions, all business establishments including restaurants, markets, shops and malls shall close operations daily by 6pm.

As for transport restrictions, the cabinet meeting decided that travel will only be permitted for medical reasons and essential services. Additionally, vehicles transporting goods will continue to function with no more than two people on board.

Other measures include prohibiting movements from 8pm to 4am, domestic and international tourists may travel across districts but must possess negative COVID-19 test results, institutions (public and private) will operate at no more than 30% capacity of staff while other employees shall continue to work from home on rotational basis.

All social gatherings and events including religious weddings ceremonies, receptions, meetings and conferences are prohibited, public gyms and swimming pools shall be restricted from the public with exception of testes guests staying at hotels.

Attendance at wake/vigil (ikiriyo) should not exceed 15 people at any one time while funeral gatherings should not exceed 30 persons.

These measures take effect starting Tuesday, January 5th 2021 and will be reviewed after 15 days upon a health assessment.

Coronavirus symptoms include coughing, flu, and difficulty in breathing. The virus is said to be transmitted through the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract.

Rwandans are urged to adhere to COVID-19 health guidelines, washing hands frequently using soaps and safe water, wearing face masks and respecting social distancing.