Today, Monday, January 25, we have entered the second week of lockdown in Kigali, which was aimed at curtailing the spread of Covid-19 in the capital, which has been increasing at an unprecedented pace over the past few weeks. Daily statistics by the Ministry of Health show that it’s not just in Kigali but many other parts of the country continue to record more cases by the day. This calls for extra caution. Not just for Kigali residents but the entire population of Rwanda, because by all indications, the virus is spreading and if nothing is done, the entire country will be placed under lockdown. We all know the economic and social implications of a total countrywide lockdown, yet many among us continue to flout the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that have been recommended by our scientists to ensure we keep this global pandemic in check. Incidentally, this week, we are beginning countrywide activities – to be held virtually due to the pandemic – organized as part of the 27th anniversary of National Heroes Day that is marked annually every February 1. This year’s celebrations will be held under the theme: “Heroism: Our dignity” as a way of instilling heroic values among citizens. This period of the pandemic, that has ravaged the country and indeed the entire world, is an opportune moment to bring the best out of us in terms of exhibiting our individual and collective heroism to ease this pandemic. We already have our heroes in the fight against Covid-19 and these are the frontline health workers who put their lives on the line on a daily basis to be able to save our loved ones. We also have them in enforcers of the measures in place to contain the virus and these include our police officers and our youth community volunteers, among others. Let us all play our role in this fight to ease the burden and even exposure to the virus by these heroes. Our role is really cut out for us; let us just respect the SOPs wherever we are. Let us not follow them because we are being monitored by the police and other enforcers. Collectively, we shall win this battle.
