Author: Nicole Kamanzi Muteteri

The new positive cases were drawn from 1,323 tests carried out Wednesday, according to a tweet from the Ministry of Health.

The country recently eased the COVID-19 lockdown allowing most businesses to resume operations for 15 days.

Everyone has been urged to put on facemasks in public and in multi-family compounds, to continue washing hands regularly, and to practice social distancing.

Schools, bars, and places of worship are still closed and motorbike operators are not permitted to carry passengers. Large gatherings such as weddings and parties remain suspended and only 30 people are allowed to attend a funeral.

Employers are to allow their non-essential staff to continue working from home or to rotate employees ensuring that a maximum of 50 percent are in office at a time.

Markets and public buses are also operating at half-capacity to ensure social distancing, and there is a curfew has been introduced from 8 p.m to5a.m for the 15-day time.

The demand followed a decision by the government to lift the COVID-19 lockdown on Monday.

Public buses were required to carry fewer passengers in order to observe social distancing. The transport challenge was partly a result of the fact that only about 60 percent of the fleet of public buses in Kigali were available and motorbikes are still not allowed to operate, increasing the demand for buses.

Rwanda Utilities and Regulator Agency (RURA) Director General Patrick Nyirishema said that starting Tuesday 5th May, public transport companies in Kigali have resumed 100 percent operation.

This means that there are currently over 400 public transport buses operating within the city that has yet to satisfy the demand especially because of the social distancing measures.

Nyirishema said that if it is deemed necessary, they will consider adding more buses to the Kigali network from firms licensed to operate between Kigali and other provinces which are still not operational.

The demand could go down in coming days as the excitement on the partial lifting of the lockdown goes down. In coming days, it is anticipated that the ‘thirst’ could die down and consequently reduce the pressure on public transport.

Transport firms who are back to work after weeks of lockdown had to increase their fares following consultation with the regulator. This was done with the purpose to cushion them from loss as their carrying capacity has been halved; for a passenger vehicle that previously carried 70 people now takes 32.

Nyirishema said that the increase of fares was challenging to work out but was aided by the recent drop in oil prices which reduces the operating cost of transport companies.

Nyirishema added that the status quo allows transport companies to remain operational to serve the public.

Innocent Twahirwa, the Managing Director of Jali Transport, which owns RFTC said that the new situation will require order at bus parks and patience from commuters.

The survey showed that the ripple effects of COVID-19, including measures to curtail its spread, have created substantial uncertainties for businesses that could bring forth the closure of business and investments.

41.2 percent of the respondents said that their businesses may not be sustainable for more than 6 months while 29.4 percent said their businesses may sustain between 6 months and 1 year; only about 11 percent of businesses said their business will attain seamless continuity for between one and two years if the situation of COVID-19 pandemic continues.

The business council says that the challenges could be prevented through the planned stimulus packages for most affected businesses as well as the central bank’s lending facility to commercial banks.

Rwandans are awaiting a new special fund for business recovery in May which, it is expected, will boost further liquidity in the financial market.

The uncertainty further poses challenges to employment across the region, risking undoing any gains made over the years.

45.5 percent of enterprises in the region are yet to decide on the fate of their staff in regard to lay-offs.

36.4 percent have decided to lay off staff and 18.2 percent said they will not lay off their staff. Laying off of staff will have multiple effects on EAC economies including a decline of disposable income and consequently reduced consumption; reduce consumption means that industries would, in turn, produce less, source less raw materials.

The organization led by Peter Mathuki said that the EAC should consider temporary removal of employment taxes/levies, skill development levies.

This, they said, will encourage employers to retain the existing workers and do away with downsizing in the midst of COVID-19 pandemic.

Among the top effects the pandemic on businesses in the region are; decline in sales, increased cross border restrictions and challenges to source raw materials, reduction in the export market, laying off staff, delay of contracts, and reduced spending behaviours.

Tanzanian drivers reportedly staged a protest on Monday morning at a place called Benako – about 20 kilometres away from the Rwandan border of Rusumo, as a response to the relay system meant that Tanzanian drivers would swap with local drivers at the border.

Tanzanian drivers are seen in a series of videos circulating on social media blocking trucks from either side of Rwanda and Tanzania, shouting at Rwandan drivers and pelting their cargo trucks with stones.

Robert Bafakulera, the Chairperson of the Private Sector Federation (PSF) said that the protest is a result of the recent rules Rwanda put in place to manage truck drivers.

“I think it’s because Tanzanians didn’t want to comply (with the new rules) or it was very early for people to understand the system, so they found it difficult to swap their trucks to Rwandan drivers,” he said.

The latest guidelines direct truck drivers to swap trucks upon reaching the Rusumo border in Kirehe district where the government has set up a temporary customs clearing site.

This is due to the fact that recent coronavirus cases recorded in Rwanda were linked to truck drivers and their assistants, who interact with different communities.

The government made it mandatory for all truck drivers from Tanzania to be tested at borders, and those transporting cargo to deliver it to Inland Cargo Depots at Kiyanzi site in Kirehe.

Fred Seka, the President of the Federation of East Africa Freight Forwarders (FEAFFA), condemned the attacks, saying it is not based on the agreement that truck drivers in the region adopted on March 1.

“We spoke to associations of truck drivers and owners from the region and we showed them how this (the system of swapping drivers) is the only and most effective way to contain coronavirus. The attacks are against what we agreed on,” he said.

By press time, the federation had not made any formal communication with truck drivers and owners in the region about the latest incident, but Seka told this paper that he was trying to reach out to them.

“I am trying to speak to the associations and truck owners from Tanzania to cool down their drivers, because this is likely to cause damage, delays or even spread COVID-19 and complicate the social relationship of drivers from both sides,” he added.

Though the impact of the partial lockdown may not yet directly show any changes in figures whatsoever, the country posted good results in the ongoing fight against COVID-19.

Two new cases were registered, bringing the total to 261. A total of 746 tests were done yesterday and the number of recoveries has increased to 128 with 4 registered in the last 24 hours.

The new format of the update does not mention the issue of cross border truck drivers who in a couple of days were largely affected and increased numbers in the country.

The suspect, identified as Emmanuel Karenzi Hakizimana, was found at home by security and local officials as they were inspecting the implementation of the directives to fight COVID-19.

The search came about when it was discovered that some people in this neighborhood in Rusave Village, were selling alcohol in their homes during the lockdown period.

According to officials, while searching in his home, officials found Hakizimana eating meat that looked strange and his attempt to deny the officials’ entry raised more suspicions.

“He held a knife and threatened to stab whoever tried to enter. Security eventually subdued him and a search of his home was conducted,” said David Muhigirwa, the executive secretary of Nyakariro Sector, where the incident took place.

During the search, officials found other body parts of a ten-year-old and proceed to take the suspect into custody ; they later established the deceased was a child from a neighboring home.

“He killed the child and decapitated the body, eating some of the organs which he first roasted,” said Muhigirwa, saying that this was a strange case that investigators are still probing to establish the circumstances around it.

Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) spokesperson, Marie Michelle Umuhoza said that the suspect is in detention at Muyumbu RIB post, and he is being charged with murder and desecration of a corpse.

The suspect’s parents said that the 27-year-old man had been living in Uganda since he was 15, and only returned about eight months ago. It is also said that he has been showing abnormal behavior since his return, but he was not taken to any health facility.

RURA announced referring to the statement on cabinet resolution on 30th, 04, 2020 to further contain the COVID-19 outbreak; allowing some activities to resume.

RURA states that transports will resume on the 4th of May 2020.

“Passengers are informed that the transport services that operate within Kigali city are prohibited from operating outside of Kigali.”

However, transport working in the provinces will operate within their respective provinces. Passengers are required to wash their hands prior to entering the bus, always wear facemasks and they must comply with the social distancing of at least one meter while getting on or off the bus.

Public transport buses will carry half number of passengers and operators are required to clearly mark to clear mark permitted passengers’ seats on the bus with an empty seat separating passengers from another.

The transport tariff has been adjusted in a way that in the City of Kigali fare is increased from 22frw/km to 31.8frw/Km. As for provinces fare, RURA said that the fare increased from 22frw/Km to 30.8 frw/Km.

“This will enable operators to sustain the service while observing social distancing guidelines.”

The new guidelines that were adopted by the High Council of the Judiciary will see courts resume on May 4, starting with cases that were suspended when the country introduced strict measures in stopping the spread of the New Coronavirus in March.

“All cases that were closed pending verdicts, judgments will be pronounced the week beginning May 04 to May 08 while regarding all criminal cases in general, courts will focus on the most urgent cases, putting in consideration measures aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19,” the Chief Justice said.

The Chief Justice said court sessions will be attended by judges, court staff, attorneys, appellants, defendants, and their lawyers until further notice.

Dr. Ntezilyayo said that civil, commercial, labour, and administrative cases, courts will handle them starting with those that were on schedule. Courts will also pay attention to urgent cases as well as Small Claims cases in order to clear the backlog.

It was also decided that judicial service workers will continue to work from home as they had been doing, except those considered essential and are needed to report to office.

“All heads of institutions and departments must ensure that they follow up closely on the staff to ensure that they deliver as expected while those who will be appearing in court or offices must pay close attention to measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19,” said the statement.

Last month, the Judiciary initiated the pronouncement of criminal cases using Skype. The use of Skype in the reading of Judgments kicked off with the Intermediate Court of Nyarugenge which pronounced over 17 judgments of inmates detained in Nyarugenge Prison, commonly known as Mageragere.

The President of the Intermediate Court of Nyarugenge, Justice Adolphe Udahemuka said that 21 judgments in total were pronounced including using Skype.

The usage of Skype complements the videoconference procedure launched on April 9 with the hearing of cases with urgency in criminal matters in the Primary Court of Gasabo with inmates in cells of Remera and Kimironko.

The Judiciary embarked on using online platforms for the dispensation of justice during the period when measures were introduced nationwide for preventing and curbing the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.

Thousands of inmates with minor or petty cases were also released from different police stations across the country as part of the measures to decongest detention centers.

The Chief Justice said that the courts will continue to deploy digital means to handle some cases as it has been in the lockdown while cases will continue to be filed online using the Rwanda Integrated Electronic Case Management System Rwanda (IECMS). People with queries can call the toll free number 3670.