The street testing surveys were launched in the City of Kigali and at its entry points.
RBC said that it is continuing to analyze the status of the Covid-19 pandemic in Kigali and it is in this context that a new assessment program was developed starting on Thursday, on some of the selected roads in the City.
“This is a 5-minute drive through, where car occupants are not required to vacate their vehicles,” reads a related RBC notice to the public.
As noted, this operation will provide factual information about the Covid-19 status in Kigali and “will lead to tactical response activities.”
“A request is made to all Kigali residents to cooperate with RBC teams for the sake of successful completion of this important activity,” reads a statement released from the Center.
“Movements to/from Rubavu district shall resume,” the cabinet’s statement reads, bringing to an end a month of isolation that the district was in since early June when new COVID-19 cases were reported in Rusizi and Rubavu districts, Western Province raising national concern.
The cabinet meeting chaired by President Paul Kagame agreed on maintaining public and private services operational with only essential employees going to the office and the rest working from home as it has been for more than three months.
Domestic tourism and international tourism for visitors traveling with charter flights have also been maintained.
Hotels will also remain operational and will give conference services but following strict hygiene guidelines.
However, public transport and any other movements (except for goods and cargo) are prohibited in zones under lockdown in Rusizi and Kigali.
Noncontact outdoor sports will continue, but gyms remain closed.
Motos will also continue to work respecting hygiene and other precautions guidelines despite fears that were raised a couple of days ago when 2 moto-taxi riders tested COVID-19 positive in Kigali.
The religious weddings that were reopened in the previous cabinet meeting and the civil wedding permitted much earlier will also continue with 30 participants and 15 participants respectively.
Religious ceremonies for burial and funeral were maintained with a maximum of 30 participants.
Church services will remain closed despite an earlier hope that they would open soon.
“Places of worship will remain closed. In the meantime, investment in COVID-19 precautionary and preventive measures is encouraged to allow readiness for reopening after epidemiological assessment,” part of the cabinet’s resolutions in a statement reads.
Churches have an assignment to work hard on preparations which would facilitate the government on deciding to reopen them, should COVID-19 spread slow down.
Meanwhile, bars and gaming activities remain closed while schools, as decided earlier, will open in September 2020.
At about 0020hrs, on the 27 June, about 100 unidentified people holding machine guns, rockets, among other weapons, attacked people of Yanze IDP Model Village located 1 km away from Burundi border.
RDF statement reads: “The gunmen attacked from Burundi and they fled back in the same direction.
When running back, this group left four assailants killed, 3 captured and military equipment and dry rations marked “FORCE DE DEFENSE NATIONALE DU BURUNDI” were seized
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of Rwanda wrote to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Burundi requesting for an explanation regarding the attack by unidentified attackers from Burundi and urged the Government of Burundi to take all necessary measures so that those guilty of that criminal act, who withdrew to Burundi, be quickly arrested and brought to justice or extradited to Rwanda so they can answer for their actions.”
The letter was sent the same day of the attacks but the Burundian government is yet to respond.
Rwanda’s Military Spokesperson, Lt Col Innocent Munyengango said “We assure Rwandans that the perpetrators will be prosecuted and identified. We are seeking, through diplomatic channels, reliable information on these attacks that are constantly coming back.”
On their side, the Burundian army, National Defense Force of Burundi (FDNB) has denied any involvement in the attack, but they neither denied nor confirm the allegations in a statement issued Friday.
“Burundian soil cannot be a sanctuary for armed groups that attempt to disturb the peace of our neighbors,” said Burundi’s army spokesman Floribert Biyereke
According to the daily update from the Ministry of Health, Kigali has recorded 22; Rusizi has 3, Rubavu 2, Kayonza 1, Kirehe 1, and the cluster in the detention center in Ngoma, 72, linked to Rusumo cases.
These Confirmed cases came out of 2498 tests.
Health officials offered to give more details about the detention center that increased numbers to this extent today.
This brought the total number of coronavirus cases in Rwanda to 1001 of which active cases are 556.
On the same day, 30 patients were discharged from the Covid-19 treatment centers raising the number of recoveries to 443 against 455 active cases.
Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana, the Director-General of Rwanda Biomedical Centre said that among those discharged, 21 had been receiving treatment at a facility in Rusizi District.
The Ministry of Health stated that of the new cases: eight were from Rusizi, seven from Rubavu, six from the capital Kigali and one from Kirehe District.
President Kagame, who is also the Chairman of the ruling party Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF-Inkotanyi), on Friday was presiding over the party’s Extended National Executive Committee meeting at the party headquarters in Rusororo.
“The pandemic itself seems to be still here with us. Some say it is actually just starting. Much as I said earlier that we have been able to overcome it and many of those who contracted it are still alive, whatever measures we have put in place to prevent it must continue,” said the Head of State
“If anything, we need to do more to reinforce these measures further to continue managing it. This is something we cannot play around with. Those who investigate the virus on a daily basis, including scientists and researchers, are yet to fully figure everything about the Coronavirus, the new one as it is”
President Kagame assured that scientists are still trying to understand all about the virus so us to come up with a solution in the near future; this includes a possible vaccine or medication but until that happens, the preventive measures remain the same.
“How we conduct ourselves as individuals in terms of protecting ourselves further translates into protecting others as well,” President Kagame said,
Other safety measures including wearing a safety mask help safeguard of self and others while social distancing and avoiding the culture of hugging and getting close are all key in minimizing the spread.
Rwanda has so far registered 858 cases following 8 more cases which were recorded on Friday out of 3,763 tests conducted. Four of the cases were detected in Kigali while the other four are in Rusizi.
Habonimana is replacing Mr. Firmin Karambizi who served for 14 months in this position where he was appointed in April 2019.
On twitter, Habonimana was very thankful to the Head of State for this appointment.
“What an honor and a privilege to be given an opportunity to serve this great nation, #Rwanda! I am very humbled and forever grateful to His Excellency President @PaulKagame for the trust,” he said.
Before that, Habonimana was serving as Human Resource Manager at Energy Utility Corporation Limited (EUCL).
Charles Habonimana is also known for being an author of a French Book “Moi Le Dernier Tutsi” which gives a shocking testimony of how he survived the 1994 Genocide committed against Tutsi.
Habonimana also served as President of Alumni of the Students’ Genocide Survivors’ Association – GAERG.
Kagame promoted two Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACP) Joseph Costa Habyara and Emmanuel Hatari to the rank of Commissioner of Police (CP). He also promoted eight Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) to the rank of ACP, 22 Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) to CSP, 39 Superintendent of Police (SP) to SSP and 37 Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) to SP rank.
Among the promoted ones commissioned officers, including 35 Inspectors of Police (IP) to CIP, 333 Assistant Inspector of Police (AIP) to Inspector of Police; 1709 non-commissioned Police Constable (PC) promoted to Corporal (CPL), 62 Corporals and Police Constable (PC) promoted to Sergeant, 25 Sergeant to Senior Sergeant (SSGT), nine SSGTs to Chief Sergeant (CSGT) and one CSGT promoted to Assistant Inspector of Police.
“Rwanda National Police (RNP) leadership congratulates all those who have been promoted and appreciates the selfless service of those who have retired,” said Police Spokesperson, John Bosco Kabera.
The last time the president promoted police officers was in January 2018, which witnessed three women among the officers raised to senior positions of leadership within the police force.
These are Lynder Nkuranga, Rose Muhisoni, Teddy Ruyenzi- all now Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACP).
A statement from the Ministry says the decision was based on an analysis done by the Ministry of Health on Covid-19 in parts of Kigali City where the pandemic has been detected so far.
The six villages put under lockdown are located in the Nyarugenge and Kicukiro districts including Kamabuye and Zuba villages in Nyarurama cell, Kigarama Sector in Kicukiro District.
Nyenyeri and Rugano villages of Kigarama and Gikondo Sectors respectively are also in the lockdown, together with Kadobogo and Gisenga, located in Kigali Cell of Kigali Sector, Nyarugenge District.
This comes after a number of new cases of the COVID-19 were detected in the city of Kigali.
Since June 21 twenty-one cases have been confirmed in Kigali city alone.
According to the Ministry of Local Government, both private and public office bearers living in the mentioned areas are supposed to work from home during the 15-day lockdown.
Moreover, movements between the six cells and other neighboring areas are prohibited save for those traveling for medical services or other very fundamental causes.
The statement says the Ministry of Health and the City of Kigali will continue to monitor and establish see whether there are some other parts of the city that need to be put under lockdown.
Local leaders and security organs were also urged to follow-up on the implementation of the new directives that came into effect immediately.
