The Ministry of Health, on Friday, March 12 started vaccinating vendors in different markets in the city of Kigali as part of the campaign to inoculate groups who are at higher risk of the virus.

According to city authorities, the exercise is aimed at vaccinating up to 2,000 people in 7 big markets including Kimironko, Nyabugogo, Zinia (Kicukiro), and Kabuga.

City markets are some of the places that have had large Covid-19 infection clusters in the past, and it can be remembered that in August last year, the Nyabugogo Market (commonly known as Kwa Mutangana) and the Nyarugenge City Market closed for about two weeks due to a high number of infections detected there.

Friday’s exercise kicked off in the morning, and went on for some hours, as traders and other people working in essential businesses in the markets were administered with the vaccine.

Speaking to media, Pudence Rubingisa, the Mayor of the City said traders were considered for inoculation due to the infection risk they stand since "they are the ones that we all go to when we are buying essential commodities.”

Some of the traders that spoke to this newspaper after they had been vaccinated emphasized the Mayor’s point,

"It (the vaccination) is very important because in our daily life we meet a lot of people – which is risky,” said Gisele Gasana, an accountant in Kwa Mutangana Market, Nyabugogo  

Sylvestre Nizeyimana, a vegetable seller in Nkundamahoro Market in Nyabugogo said:

"We meet with people that have come from various places to buy commodities from the market. For example, in the morning sometimes I find myself standing in the midst of about 30 clients who have come to buy vegetables. You may not trust all those people to be healthy. So, for me, it is pleasant to be one of the people that have been vaccinated.”

Mayor Rubingisa hopes that in the long run, as vaccines become more available, all markets in the city, as well as all residents will be reached out to.