The University of Rwanda (UR) and Mount Kenya University Kigali Campus (MKUR) have requested all staff and students to be vaccinated against Covid-19 in order to be allowed into the respective campuses.

"This is to inform all staff and students in Remera based campus that with effect from Monday, September 27 only students and staff that have been vaccinated so far, will be allowed into campus,” reads a notice issued at the weekend by the UR Remera Campus.

Speaking to The New Times, the Head of Corporate Communications at UR, Ignatius Kabagambe confirmed the development, saying that they started with all their campuses in Kigali before they extend it to other campuses "very soon”.

He added that Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC) is already in touch with their upcountry campuses to get the numbers of people who are not vaccinated yet for them to plan and vaccinate them.

The UR Kigali-based campuses include Remera, Nyarugenge and the Gikondo campus, which also hosts the university’s general administration.

Adding that they will have to present a vaccination certificate at least for the first dose.

On the other hand there is ongoing vaccination for MKUR students and staff from September 22.

"Every student must have gotten at least the first jab by September 27 otherwise they will not be allowed to access campus premises or receive any services without proof of vaccination,” according to the announcement from the private university.

The Kagarama-based university added that students who fail to adhere will have their portals deactivated rendering them ineligible to get any kind of service.

Henry Musisi, who is in charge of communication at MKUR told The New Times that in partnership with Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC) they are conducting the vaccination in the campus in order to facilitate their staff and students to get vaccines easily.

"We need to make sure that all our staff and students are vaccinated,” he said, adding that "so that we can have a good environment for learning”.

The mandatory vaccination in varsities follows a recent call by the Minister for Local Government Jean Marie Vianney Gatabazi urging employees in the public sector to get vaccinated because it might be mandatory soon. 

"Very soon, vaccination will be mandatory for public sector employees who want to work from the offices so as to make sure the workplace is safe,” he said.

"There won’t be an excuse since vaccines are available.”

Every Rwandan above 18 years is eligible for vaccination at the different designated vaccinated sites across the country and as of Saturday, September 25, over 1.6 million people had been fully vaccinated.