NYARUGENGE - Kigali City Council (KCC) has started a campaign to crackdown on unhygienic schools, hotels, restaurants, bars and night clubs, vowing to close down such places in a week if nothing is done to improve their cleanliness.

The decision was reached following weeks of inspection by the council’s health department.

During the inspection, the biggest number of places visited were found to be in a poor state of hygiene.

According to the vice-Mayor in charge of social affairs, Jeanne d’ Arc Gakuba, many city schools were found to be in a sorry state during the inspection hence prompting the authorities to take appropriate measures.

"Schools were graded in three categories; the third category has the worst performing schools as far as hygiene is concerned. It is this category that we decided to fine Rwf250 000 and gave them a week to improve after which they risk being closed,” said Gakuba.

Meanwhile, during a meeting that brought together KCC, head teachers and the hospitality industry, City Mayor Aisa Kirabo Kakira advised them to make a self assessment on hygiene at their premises or risk closure.

"You have to put in place monitoring teams to ensure that you comply with the law in whatever you are doing because that is the only way you will improve from the current situation,” said the Mayor.She warned the owners of shanty lodges in the city which have become dens of criminals, telling them that their days of operation were numbered since they are proving to be the source of insecurity around the city.

"While inspecting the lodges, we found out the owners were conniving with criminals to use these places into sexually abusing young girls.  We cannot tolerate such activities,” she warned.

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