The Ministry of Local Governments on Tuesday, January 19 published a list of essential services that will be allowed to continue operating amid the new Covid-19 preventive measures. The country is under tighter preventive guidelines, especially in Kigali, for 15 days due to a surge in cases of the virus. As the lockdown is being implemented, a number of key services and projects have been given exception to continue working. According to a list from the ministry, among these are projects of building hospitals and health facilities, construction and rehabilitation of key roads in the city of Kigali, projects of supplying clean water in the city, resettling of vulnerable citizens or building for them houses, construction of public schools and supply of electricity, among a few other key infrastructures. Agriculture projects such as the ones that are export-oriented will also be permitted to work. In addition, activities of transporting food products to local markets, fishing, and taking care of livestock will be permitted, among few other key agricultural activities. On the side of trade and industries, agri-based industries processing foods will be permitted to work, in addition to food markets, industries making construction materials, factories that make hygienic products like sanitary pads, soap, hand sanitisers as well as those that manufacture protective equipment like masks and medical equipment. Among other permitted services businesses selling foodstuffs, mobile money, e-commerce, banking, garbage collection, insurance, and businesses dealing in fuel. According to the communique from the ministry, these businesses will first have to ask for permission from the relevant authorities to be allowed to work. When allowed to work, these businesses are obliged to work at 30 per cent capacity, and stop operations at 6 PM every day.
