President of Rwanda, Mr Paul Kagame. Courtesy Photo.
Christian Churches in Rwanda’s capital Kigali have once again closed for public worship after Covid-19 surge in the country.
On Tuesday, President Paul Kagame’s government instituted a total lockdown in which “all movements would require a police permit, non-essential businesses, churches, schools and universities were closed.”
According to AFP, a 6pm curfew is to be maintained in all parts of the country. The country of 12 million people has had around 11,500 cases of the virus and almost 150 deaths since the start of the outbreak.
Notably, places of worship only just emerged from one of their strictest lockdowns in July 2020.
“Let no Rwandan worry where they will get their food for the next two weeks due to this lockdown. Institutions are around to assist,” local government minister Shyaka Anastase was quoted as saying.
“What we ask Rwandans is that they should fear COVID-19 more than they fear hunger. Covid is not afraid of anyone, it is not a disease for the rich people, so we need to all be on the look out.”
Health Minister Daniel Ngamije attributed the spike in Covid-19 cases to citizens with symptoms not getting tested.
“They do self-medication by simply taking things like ginger, and instead come to us when the symptoms are bad. But within that time, they have infected people,” he said, according to AFP.
