Nshuti comes as a replacement for Oliver Nduhungirehe who was removed from cabinet in April, under accusations of letting his personal opinions prevail over those held by the government.
Nshuti previously served in different positions in the government.
Nshuti was formerly the Minister of Commerce, Industry, Cooperatives, and Tourism; he served as Minister of Finance as well as Minister of Public Service and Labour.
Nshuti holds a Ph.D. in Finance. He also holds a Masters degree in Business Administration in Accounting.
He has also served as the Chairman Board of Promoters assigned to set up Umutara Polytechnic (University).
Nshuti served as the Chairman Board of Governors, which was tasked to turn round the School of Finance and Banking (SFB).
Umutara Polytechnic and SFB have since merged with other public Higher Learning Institutions to form the University of Rwanda (UR).
The new measures will take effect on Monday 4th and will be reviewed after 15 days after a health assessment.
According to a statement of the cabinet resolutions, public and private businesses will resume with essential staff while other employees continue working from home.
Markets will open for essential vendors not exceeding 50% of registered traders while the manufacturing and construction sectors were also be allowed to open for only essential workers.
Hotels and restaurants are now allowed to open until 7PM. During the last period of lockdown, they were allowed to open only for takeaway services.
Individual sports activities in open spaces are now permitted, however, sports facilities remain closed.
Private and public transport will resume within the same province, meaning that no transport from Kigali to upcountry or vice versa will be allowed until further notice.
In public transport, operators were required to ensure that passengers maintain social distancing and only passengers with face masks will be allowed onboard.
Funeral services will not exceed the number of 30 persons compared to 15 people previously.
The cabinet directed that schools remain closed until September 2020 and places of worship remain closed for an indefinite period.
In Sports also, Gym and recreational centers will remain closed and so will all bars.
Motorcycles and bicycles are not allowed in the transport of people; they are however allowed in the transport of goods.
Borders will remain closed, except for cargo and returning Rwandans and legal residents who will still have to first stay in a-14 day quarantine.
According to the Cabinet resolutions, people will have to keep precautions and avoid being exposed to infection.
One of the measures that were taken is that mass screening and testing for COVID-19 will continue nationwide and face masks have to be worn at all times in the public.
All resumed works were also required to adhere to all measures of the ministry of health that are related to hygiene, face masks wearing, and keeping social distance.
The cabinet continued to encourage electronic payments.
There will be a curfew and no movements are allowed from 8 PM through 5 AM.
While President Paul Kagame thanked the effort of each and every Rwandan in fighting COVID-19 and avoiding its further spread, he reminded that “the fight is not over.”
Heavy rains recently caused a landslide in Nyange, leaving the Muhanga-Ngororero-Karongi road unoccupied.
This meant that those wishing to travel through these roads use the Muhanga-Huye-Nyamagabe-Nyamasheke-Rusizi and Rutsiro-Rubavu-Kigali roads.
Apart from that, other roads across the country were blocked by the effects of the rains, including Kigali-Gicumbi, Muhanga-Ngororero-Mukamira.
On the morning of April 30, 2020, the Rwanda National Police announced that all roads were opened.
“The Rwanda National Police has informed them that the Muhanga-Ngororero-Mukamira road is now used,” reads the statement on The National Police Twitter Wall.
He added that the Kigali-Gicumbi road is also used.
The National Meteorological Agency, Meteo Rwanda, recently announced that between 21 and 30 April 2020, heavy rainfall is expected in the country compared to previous days.
The Ministry of Emergency Situations (Minema) said heavy rains on the night of April 25, 2020, caused disasters, killing three people, injuring three others and destroying 215 houses.
The rains also damaged crops on 66.3 hectares, 11 roads, and its six bridges as well as two water pipes, killing five small animals.
Heavy rains on April 17, killed three people, injured two others, and destroyed many properties.
On April 22, a torrent of rain fell across the country, killing over 12 people and injuring 18 others, while destroying various properties, including 32 houses.
This move comes after several petroleum transporters were reportedly stuck in Kigali with their truck drivers at a loss on how to offload the fuel.
The drivers, mainly from regional countries, say that they have spent days with trucks loaded with petroleum and cannot return to their countries of origin. When importers explained their lack of storage, they said it is due to the low demand caused by the COVID-19 lockdown which stopped traffic and affected previous stocks.
One driver, Yusuf Salim, from Tanzania said that he has to pay for a parking fee of Rwf1000 per day and has so far spent three weeks in Kigali.
“This parking fee was reduced from Rwf2000 but it is still a challenge since we also have other expenses such as food and other needs,” Salim said.
Local petroleum importers on their side said that the Covid-19 pandemic caught them off-guard after ordering more products, and now they have to spend more on the maintenance of transporters.
“We have to pay $100 per day to the suppliers for their hired trucks that are spending extra days waiting to be offloaded. This is because we have nowhere to store their fuel; as the previous orders did not get consumers,” said Joseph Akumuntu, the chairperson of Petroleum importers in Rwanda.
The Minister of Trade, Soraya Hakuziyaremye said that the government will discuss ways of supporting Petroleum transporters to resolve the challenge of expenses caused by difficulties of finding storage facilities.
“We have received their complaints and we are considering providing customs facilitation where they can store this petroleum at some of the privately-owned petrol station storage facilities,” Hakuziyaremye said.
Rwanda has a capacity to store over 110 million liters of petroleum products per year, and the local market demand of about 600 million liters per year.
According to Minister Hakuziyaremye, the domestic economic impact of Covid-19 on the petroleum sector shows that a drop in local market demand for petroleum products has affected the sector by 50% and this is expected to continue.
“We, like any other country, have been affected negatively by low demand for petroleum products. We shall do an economic impact assessment on this area as we find ways of easing business for fuel importers, “Hakuziyaremye said.
On Wednesday, the trade ministry deployed a task force to evaluate the situation of the petroleum transporters and importers who are currently stationed in Gatsata and Rusororo sectors in Kigali.
This is brought to you by Rush Foods, a company that offers an extensive service of food and package delivered at your doorstep in Kigali.
The company that prides itself on maintaining the highest quality of services also delivers different supermarket goods and drinks to customers who need the service anywhere in Kigali.
Rush foods have announced that the company is committed to helping Rwandans who are not able to move during the Coronavirus outbreak.
“We want to contribute our part to the wellness of Rwandans in these challenging times, and this is why we have decided to waive delivery fees for people who buy food and drinks using our services anywhere they are located in Kigali.” says the Chief Executive Officer of Rush Foods, Naeem Ali.
Rush Foods services are available on the Rush Foods application which is available on Android and IOS. All you have to do is to install the application, follow guidelines and you can receive your order anywhere in Kigali.
Other services that are offered by Rush Foods include parcel and medium package delivery to people around Kigali.
Rush Food Chief Executive Officer, Naeem Ali noted that sometimes people want to send packages to their friends and family, but they are not able to because of conditions imposed by the Coronavirus pandemic.
“We also help those people where we charge them only Rwf 1000 for package delivery, which is a very low price compared to the transportation cost he/she would pay.” He further added
Rush Foods began its operations in Rwanda in 2018.
New results from a clinical trial conducted by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases establish the drug as the standard of care for Covid-19, which has killed 50,000 people in the U.S. so far, said agency Director Anthony Fauci. He likened the good news about remdesivir to the discovery of the first medication found to help treat HIV more than three decades ago.
“The data shows that Remdesivir has a clear-cut, significant, positive effect in diminishing the time to recovery,” Dr. Anthony Fauci said at the White House during a meeting with President Donald Trump.
Results from the preliminary trial show Remdesivir improved recovery time for coronavirus patients from 15 to 11 days. That’s similar to the effect that the influenza drug Tamiflu has on flu. Tamiflu also doesn’t cure patients quickly, but can reduce how long they are sick.
“Although a 31% improvement doesn’t seem like a knockout 100%, it is very important proof of concept,” Fauci said of Remdesivir. “What it has proven is that a drug can block this virus.”
Remdesivir also may reduce the likelihood that patients will die.
“Results also suggested a survival benefit, with a mortality rate of 8.0% for the group receiving Remdesivir versus 11.6% for the placebo group,”
Remdesivir is among several drugs being tested against Covid-19, but the NIAID trial is the first conducted according to rules aimed at gaining FDA approval.
About 1,090 people participated in the trial internationally, but the World Health Organization said it’s too early to comment on the remdesivir trial results released.
“Typically, you don’t have one study that will come out that will be a game changer,” said Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO’s technical lead for the coronavirus response.
She said the agency generally pulls together evidence from several studies before reviewing and critiquing the evidence.
“It can sometimes take a number of publications to determine (what) the ultimate impact of a drug is,” said Dr. Mike Ryan, executive director of the WHO’s health emergencies program.
President Kagame made the call on Wednesday during a virtual meeting of the African Union Bureau with chairs of regional economic communities with at the head, President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa, who is the current AU chairman.
The Head of State commended President Ramaphosa, for leading the AU Bureau so dynamically during the COVID-19 pandemic and as the chair of the East African Community (EAC), gave an update on what the EAC is doing to fight the virus.
“The focus of attention has been to minimize the cross-border movement of people while ensuring that the free movement of goods is able to continue. The East African Community has also provided mobile testing laboratories for the Member States to use at designated border crossings,” President Kagame said, addressing the meeting.
President Kagame said the East African region has made some good progress but that there is still more work to be done, particularly in the areas of coordination and harmonization, where he called for more efforts.
“A comprehensive regional response plan is still needed, and really owning up fully to this heavy responsibility where we not only do our best in our own countries but share information and harmonize the way we go about business in the whole region,” he noted.
President Kagame once again reminded the continent not to forget the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) which is supposed to be fully operationalized in July, although its rollout is likely to be affected by COVID-19.
“As we have responded to COVID-19 effectively, we may also bear in mind the very important objective that lies ahead in implementing the African Continental Free Trade Area, but this will be after we have managed and come out of this situation we find ourselves in. This will be part of normalization as we start allowing business and normal life to go back as it was before,” President Kagame said
Four people including the driver, rider, and two other people, who were aboard the vehicle, were also arrested.
The Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) in Muhanga, Sylvestre Twajamahoro, who is also the Police spokesperson for the Southern region, said that the two motorcycles RD 318F and RB 213V were intercepted in Rongi sector, Karambo cell with combined 12, 000 pieces of polythene bags.
“One rider identified as Jean Bosco Nshimiyimana, 25, was arrested but the other runaway abandoned the motorcycle and the polythene bags,” said CIP Twajamahoro.
The information was provided by residents and Police officers were deployed at about 1 pm when the traffickers were intercepted, the motorcycles and their illegal goods impounded.
In Burera District, a vehicle RAA 649G was intercepted in Gahunga Sector, Rwasa Cell with three sacks of non-biodegradable products.
The driver identified as Jean de Dieu Shingiro, 30, alongside two other men on board; Alexis Nshimiyimana, 28, and Clementine Nyirabazungu, 25, were taken into custody.
CIP Alexis Rugigana, the Police spokesperson for the Northern region, said that the vehicle was stopped in Mutara village along Cyanika-Musanze road, searched, and recovered the three sacks of polythene bags.
“The vehicle was intercepted at about 6 pm, traffickers didn’t disclose where they were coming from but said that they were taking the plastic bags to Kimisagara in Nyarugenge District in Kigali.”
Under article 10 of law N° 17/2019 of 10/08/2019 on the environment, any person, who imports plastic carry bags and single-use plastic items, is liable to the dispossession of those plastic carry bags and such items, and to an administrative fine equivalent to ten times of the value of those plastic carry bags and single-use plastic items.
In article 12, a retailer of plastic carry bags and single-use plastic items is liable to an administrative fine of Rwf300, 000 and dispossession of those plastic carry bags and such items.
In a public statement, the organization said its support was in line with the Rwandan government’s efforts to eradicate the spread of Coronavirus.
Over 60% of this contribution came from the employees of Crystal Ventures.
“The epidemic has caused a variety of problems both commercially and socially. Our contribution is aimed at partnering with other agencies to combat the epidemic and in addition to other special assistance provided by Crystal Ventures,” reads the statement.
The agency said it would continue to contribute to supporting the fight against coronavirus and to care for Rwandans through the companies that make it through these difficult times.
Crystal Ventures Ltd is an investment company established in 1995 in Rwanda, initially under the name Tri-Star Investments Limited, before rebranding to its current name in 2009.
The spirit of giving and helping those in need is one of the foundations of the Rotary Club. Founded in 1904, the Rotary movement in Rwanda has been growing and presently there are 6 Rotary Clubs in different parts of the country including RC Musanze, RC Butare, RC Kibungo, RC Kigali-Gasabo, RC Kigali-Mont Jali, RC Kigali-Virunga and RC Kigali-Doyen.
The Rotary movement focuses on community welfare, education, environmental protection, combating ignorance and poverty, bringing health care closer to all, improving access to clean water, and helping the needy.
In support of the Government’s efforts, members of the Rotary Club of Kigali-Virunga have raised funds to help those affected by Coronavirus.
To curb the spread of the Coronavirus, the Government of Rwanda has closed bars, schools, churches, conferences, and other public events. The lockdown will go on until April 30, 2020.
The food relief was sent to the National Strategic Grain Reserve, on April 29, 2020. It aims to help people who were affected by the lockdown.
Speaking on behalf of the club, Masterjerb Paul Birungi, told IGIHE that the event was aimed at continuing to provide assistance and support to the government in reaching out to people affected by Coronavirus.
“We thought of something we could do to support the fight against the COVID-19. The authorities advised us to support the needy with food. As we usually do, when someone has a problem, we do our best to contribute,” he said.
The Rotary Club of Kigali-Virunga raised Rwf2 million from its 32 members,
“We bought three tones including one and a half beans and maize flour. We won’t stop here, we are doing our best so that we can help out again,” he said.
The Rotary Club of Kigali-Virunga has sponsored various projects to help the community such as the construction of a building in Kinyinya that will accommodate cancer patients who will be treated at the Military Hospital in Kanombe in Kigali City.
Other clubs are also doing their best to help communities affected by the Coronavirus pandemic.
The Rotary Club of Kigali-Doyen has donated Rwf 3 Million to support the Solid Africa Charity, which cares for homeless patients and caters food for them.
The Club also donated to the National Health Center, RBC hand sanitizers, and hygienic items including 160 handwashing tanks, worth Rwf 12 Million.
