The new cases were generated from 2,742 tests taken in 24 hours from Rusizi cluster, as well as repatriated Rwandans.
The country has so far conducted 96,801 sample tests and reported 636 confirmed cases of whom 338 recovered and two deaths were recorded since the outbreak of this pandemic.
“Churches will continue to be closed, religious leaders are encouraged to continue to put in place measures to prevent COVID-19, in preparation for the opening of churches in the next 15 days based on the results of the health analysis,” the cabinet said in a statement.”
The decision came after the Religious of the Immaculate Conception, RIC, last week wrote to the Rwandan Government Board, RGB, outlining some of its strategies to protect against the Coronavirus pandemic, as long as the government has sustained them and continued their activities to pray.
On May 28 this year, the forum wrote to the Prime Minister requesting that churches and other faith-based activities be facilitated so that they too can begin to operate.
On June 5 this year, a meeting was held between the government’s representatives and the administration of the RIC, chaired by the minister local government, Prof Shyaka Anastase. The meeting was aimed at exchanging views on RIC’s recommendations of religious activities in this period of coronavirus.
RIC has been asked to develop and demonstrate measures to protect against Coronavirus in churches, Parish, and mosques, to be reviewed by government agencies.
{{Religious measures to prevent Coronavirus}}
RIC management wrote to RGB informing them of the proposed measures including cleaning synagogue buildings such as Parish, churches, or mosque before and after using them, using soap and clean water.
There is also the provision of washing hands tanks or hand sanitizer, buying temperature fever testing machines and people to be examined before entering the church, leaving a one meter distance between people, and wearing masks while attending religious services.
There are also appointed toilet cleaners and assistants to comply with the pre-and-post-wash hands’ culture and inform RIC members of the COVID-19 guidelines to be followed by faith-based organizations.
Also religious services last no more than two hours, the services are held where they were held regularly and meet all the need requirements. It also includes scheduling at least an hour between the services that take place in the same room to make room for cleaning.
“During these times only one service is conducted, (Sunday for Protestants, Catholics, and Pentecost). Saturday for Seventh-day Adventists, and Friday for Muslims. Other services will be considered later based on the members’ compliance with the coronavirus prevention guidelines and the progress of the pandemic in the country,” the statement said.
According to the RIC, anyone who leads the Mass wand anyone in charge of the program will be allowed not to wear masks while standing in front of the congregation and comply with at least a two- distance meters.
There is also the fact that each church reduces the number of people who lead the song by keeping at least a two-meter distance while singing, greeting people by shaking hands and hugging is forbidden, sharing or using public microphones is also not allowed.
“Holy Communion will be done by receiving on the hands, the giver and receiver will both be wearing masks and having a one-meter between them. There is also a continuation on one meter between people who a going to receive the Holy Communion.”
Among the religious observances includes “night gatherings, large evangelistic concerts, public prayer rooms, children’s services, zone services, and praying for people while touching them, are unauthorized.”
RIC also told RGB that it is forbidden to exchange materials, for example, to take songbooks, the Quran and the Bible.
To avoid the exchange offering baskets, the RIC says that members should be encouraged to offer on Mobile Money, Money Transfer, Bank Transfer and to set up baskets that won’t move around the congregation.
It is said that at the time of the funeral of a Christian who has died, it has to be done under the general government’s guidelines, the sacrament of marriage in the church should not exceed 50 people.
The Cabinet meeting decided that “wedding ceremonies are valid but not attended by no more than 30 people. The Ministry of local government will issue detailed instructions on this matter”.
RIC pointed out that spouses and those escorting them must abide by all the rules, be encouraged, and not hold celebrations after marriage. Baptism for Catholics will be performed by the recipients while wearing masks and performed at a mass of minorities and appropriate intervals.
While this practice was also resumed, the clergy agreed that baptism for Protestants, Pentecost, and Seventh-day Adventists because they baptize in rivers and lakes, will be suspended.
According to the RIC, Muslims are required to go to the mosque with their praying equipment such as small mats, to use the Quran in the cell phone, and not to touch in the Quran or other books in the mosque.
{{Joy to religious members}}
The clerics, who had been out of the church for three months, said they hoped the analysis of the health sector will inevitably allow them to return to God’s house because the steps taken by the clergy are clear.
Kayitare Jean Claude of Rutonde Catholic Parish in the Archdiocese of Kigali said that although the mass continued through radio and television, he is happy that the churches are about to reopen.
“We work together to study the word of God and to pray together as a family. It is a great pleasure to have God perform miracles and we are going to return to His house,” Bazambanza Enock of the Seventh-day Adventist Church said.
With the outbreak of the Coronavirus since March this year, several services were affected including the education sector, putting recruitment on hold.
According to the REB, the teacher’s recruitment plan for 2020-2021 will be the biggest ever with 7,214 new staff needed.
The recruitment intends to bridge the student-teacher ratio which stands at 59:1 in Primary and 29:1 in Secondary.
“The government is building new classrooms, and of course, we need teachers too. We are waiting for the government to advise us on how the exercise should resume,” Dr. Irenee Ndayambaje, Director General of Rwanda Education Board (REB) said.
“The recruitment exercise was halted at the level of receiving applications. We shall resume it, verify teachers’ qualification documents, and start their placements in schools before September.”
In this plan, 3,799 teachers will go to primary, 3,417 are destined to secondary while 386 teachers are being recruited for Technical and Vocational Education training (TVET) schools.
In Rwanda, there are 2,479,366 students in primary schools and 636,162 students in secondary schools. However, this number is projected to increase as schools reopen in September 2020.
The country has 41,573 teaching staff in primary schools and 21,990 teaching staff in public secondary schools, according to the ministry of education.
“We expect a much bigger number of students as schools reopen in September, some children will start school for the first time. But they should already find teachers and classrooms, these are simultaneous.” Dr. Ndayambaje said.
The government has started construction of 22,505 primary, secondary, and vocational institutions classrooms to improve the students – teacher ratio.
Statistics show that the majority of divorces cases were due to the fact that some couples have abandoned their homes for a period of 12 months, mainly caused by infidelity among others.
Assumpta Ingabire, the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion (MIGEPROF), in a conversation with IGIHE, said that the government needs to put more effort into preparing couples that are to be wed, in an attempt to see the reduction of these numbers.
“We have to reevaluate the preparation given to the couple about to get married; the local leaders should work hand in hand with religious leaders in order to create a longer period of counseling to the newlyweds, helping them to really see if they are meant to be together and if not separate beforehand”, She appealed.
{{Kigali leads }}
According to the report from the NISR named ‘Rwanda Vital Statistics Report 2019’, the City of Kigali comes on top among the divorces pronounced in the whole country with 2400 cases. The Southern Province is counting 1989 cases, the Western Province is with 1820, while in East they count 1482 cases and the North comes last with 1250 cases.
However, statistics also show that in the same year, about 48526 marriages were legally pronounced.
Fidele Rutayisire, founder and executive director of the Rwanda Men’s Resource Center (RWAMREC) told IGIHE that these divorces are due to many reasons among which is the fact that people are now aware of their rights and came to understand gender equality; equal tasks sharing and responsibilities in their home.
“In the past, women were supported by men, the man was the pillar of the household chain, and the woman did nothing without the consent of the man. Now women are so empowered that they no longer need a man to take care of themselves. As a person becomes independent economically, they become independent in every other area; when there is a hindrance their first thought is, what do I need this troubling woman or man for?”
Among other things that Rutayisire points at is the immaturity saying that with their minds they have to fight over every little issue.
“There should be some kind of follow up of newlywed people, a sort of guidance from a more mature and experienced couple.” Said Ingabire Assumpta, the permanent secretary of MIGEPROF
{{The future expects even more divorce cases}}
Rutayisire said the increase in divorce cases these days is a sign of how it is likely to increase in the coming years; this is due to the fact that children born into divorced families also have a higher risk of divorce when they get married.
“In the near future, this will be ten times worse, because these people will have children, and these children growing up will see divorce as a normal thing. In the future, we are expecting to see even more divorce cases.” He said
He said that divorces not only affect the family, in a sense of separation but also hurts the growth of children born in divorced families; family conflicts can lead to murder, occasions emotional stress among other things.
Rutayisire added that one of the things that can help in reducing the number of divorce cases is to teach the principles of equality, helping people understand the no one is superior to the other.
New cases are registered in Rusizi and Rusumo clusters, as well as repatriated Rwandans.
To date, 338 patients have recovered from the virus.
The last three days have been the highest ever, with Saturday recording 31 cases, Sunday leading with 41 new cases, and Monday, 30.
The Ministry of Health indicates that it is mostly because they increased general testing in the most affected areas like in Rusizi.
On Saturday, June 13, Minister of Local Government, Prof. Anastase Shyaka, Minister of Infrastructure, Claver Gatete and Minister of Defense, Maj. Gen. Albert Murasira went on a visit inspecting different projects in Nyagatare.
With them were also Minister of Education, Dr. Valentine Uwamariya, and State Minister in Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources, Dr. Jean Chrysostome Ngabitsinze.
The model village located in 19km from Nyagatare City, among other visits, are near completion and will be housing 64 vulnerable families; other infrastructure affiliated to the model village under construction include 31km Nyagatare-Tabagwe-Karama chipseal road and Tabagwe Health Centre, which is being expanded.
GS Tabagwe, a primary and secondary school, is being upgraded, with construction of dormitories for learners and teachers who live far from the school.
The school which enrolls 2,415 learners will have a new refectory, administrative block, laboratory, and classrooms.
Among other infrastructure that officials visited are markets, integrated handcraft centre, water and electricity projects.
Rwanda National Police (RNP) spokesperson, Commissioner of Police (CP) John Bosco Kabera said that individual responsiveness in respect of the set safety guidelines is a key factor in containing and defeating COVID-19.
“Make a choice that makes you safe from COVID-19. The choice is #NtabeAriNjye (I shouldn’t be the one),” CP Kabera said.
This literally means that I shouldn’t be the trouble causer in my family, at my place of work, in my shop or restaurant. It is my responsibility to ensure that I protect myself so well because if I don’t, then am exposing myself and the people around me in the danger of being attacked by Covid-19, the Spokesperson added.
”When you make such a responsive choice, you are also protecting members of your household, community, workmates, customers, fellow business people and passengers you are travelling within in the vehicles.” CP Kabera said.
The choices, he said, should be tailored on the government directives and recommended safety guidelines.
“Wearing the face-mask well by covering your mouth and nose, and at all times in public; ensuring at least social/physical distancing; prioritizing your movements to consider only those necessary; avoiding shaking hands or hug; washing hands regularly with clean water and soap or using hand sanitizer; respecting the acceptable movement time, and for motorcyclists, they should carry hand sanitizers and ensure that their clients wear their facemasks properly and a piece of cloth inside the helmet;
All these are choices you make that protects you and everyone around you, from catching or spreading Coronavirus but also a massive support to the government efforts to combat it.”
CP Kabera set a challenge for the public to share on social media platforms on choices they have made under the hashtag #NtabeAriNjye, to influence others on positive actions against the spread of COVID-19.
Those arrested include three, who entered into the country from Uganda through an illegal border post and two others, who had travelled to Kigali from Rusizi.
Borders are closed and no one is allowed to go or leave Rusizi and Rubavu districts, as per the government directives. Only cargo vehicles are permitted use commute to or through these districts and borders.
Meanwhile, 12 other people were arrested on Saturday for violating the curfew, with some of them found driving while drunk. Others were operating bars and those found drinking in these bars.
Vedaste Uwabarengeye, who had travelled to Kigali from Rusizi, said that in the week hours of June 13, he secretly walked to Nyamasheke from Rusizi, where he boarded a vehicle to Kigali.
“I was called by a friend, who told me that there was a job in Musanze District. I managed to get to Nyamasheke unnoticed, but I was arrested on arrival to Kigali before boarding another vehicle to Musanze,” Uwabarengeye said.
Ezra Niyonkuru, who had also travelled from Rusizi, was a taxi-moto operator in Kigali, who was in Rusizi when the country was put under lockdown in March.
In the morning of June 13, Niyonkuru was helped by a cargo truck driver, who transported him and his motorcycle to Huye District.
It’s in Huye that Niyonkuru rode his motorcycle to Kigali, where he was identified and arrested on arrival.
RNP spokesperson, CP John Bosco Kabera said that those who had travelled from Rusizi and Uganda have been isolated.
He warned against undermining the directives and derailing national efforts against the pandemic.
“No one is immune to COVID-19, be where you are supposed to be and in the right time. For those in Rusizi and Rubavu, they are required to remain in their respective homes and communities until the government directs otherwise,” CP Kabera said.
He advised Rwandans living out of the country to go through the legal border points so as to go through the medical process for Coronavirus instead of being arrested for illegal cross-border as well as putting their lives and those of others at risk.
The spokesperson also sternly warned those who operate bars in this period or those who go there to drink as well as shops which have been turned into bars.
Bars are still closed in this period of the pandemic.
He further urged the public to respect the curfew adding that 9 pm is the time to be at home but not going home.
