The Minister of Trade and Industry, Soraya Hakuziyaremye has said that market vendors will be compelled to work in shifts as a way of enforcing social distancing to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

The decision is in line with the cabinet resolution on lifting lockdown which among others, calls for maintaining social distancing even as businesses and other activities are allowed to open starting Monday, April 4.

"Markets will open for essential vendors not exceeding 50% of registered traders, reads part of the directive issued by Prime Minister Edouard Ngirente.

Market vendors respects social distancing at Kimisagara Market in Kigali. Markets will open for essential vendors not exceeding 50% of registered traders. Dan Nsengiyumva.

Both traders of essential products such as food, drugs, sanitary materials and other merchandise such as apparel, construction materials among others are now allowed in the markets.

However, Minister Hakuziyaremye said that besides working in shifts to respect social distancing of one metre between one another, traders must also wear face masks and gloves to prevent the spread of the virus.

"Now that other products apart from essential products are allowed in markets, only 50 % vendors who used to work in these markets will be allowed to work at any given time to respect this required space and respect social distancing,” she said.

We are going to issue guidelines related to the enforcement of this cabinet resolution. We are going to work with markets representatives, traders and enforcement agents.

Markets have leaders and they are going to have more or new tasks related to enforcing the guidelines in terms of preventing the spread of coronavirus,” she said.

She said other businesses such as hair salons, restaurants, and hotels will also operate but must respect to respect social distancing, wear face masks and gloves as well as using hand washing facilities and hand sanitizers.

In addition to social distancing, hospitality facilities also have to close by 7:00pm.

Bars are not allowed to operate.

Public transport such as buses will resume operations from Monday, May 4, but will have to ensure social distancing of their passengers but travel from one province to another is prohibited.

Hakuziyaremye added that the ministry is also going to work with Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority (RURA) on the guidelines to reduce passengers boarding each public bus and discuss on the impact this could have on transport fares.

Taxi Moto operators will not be allowed to carry passengers but can ferry goods as has been the case during the lockdown.

Crackdown on price hike

Considering that many traders who have been on lockdown for over 40 days could hike prices as they resume operations to recoup the losses made, Minister Hakuziyaremye said they will the inspections will continue in market places.

"Like we have been fining dealers of food commodities and others who hiked prices during the lockdown, we will punish traders of other goods such as clothes, equipment ……who will dare hike prices after lifting the lockdown,” she explained.

The Cabinet resolved to partially ease the lockdown that must be followed for 15 days from Monday, May 4, when they take effect.