Businesses in Kigali are set to reopen on February 8 under strict guidelines as the government moves to ease the current Covid-19 measures, which will also see the resumption of public and private transport. Kigali is currently under lockdown, which was has been extended, for a week. Human movement in and around Kigali as well as business operations, except for essential services, are prohibited. The latest decision to ease the lockdown in week time is part of the Tuesday, February 2, extensive cabinet resolutions on the Covid-19 pandemic. “Markets and malls will open for essential vendors and must not exceed 50 per cent of registered traders,” says a statement from the Office of the Prime Minister. However, the businesses resuming operations must close by 5:00 pm, it added. Restaurants and cafés will only provide take-away service while all bars remain closed. Private firms will resume with essential staff at no more than 30 per cent capacity while all public sector workers will continue to work from home. Public transport buses should not exceed 50 per cent capacity while bus operators will ensure passengers maintain social distancing and only passengers with masks will be allowed on board, the statement says. Motors and bicycles will also be permitted to carry passengers on condition they observe strict hygiene. Starting from January 8, the cabinet resolved that among others curfew time is extended to 7:00 pm through 4:00 am from the previous 8:00 pm through 4:00 am. The measures aim to strictly contain the spread of Covid-19. As of Tuesday, February 2, the country’s positive rate stood at 5.4 per cent of the tests carried out so far while the recovery rate is 68.4 per cent. Since the outbreak of the pandemic in March 2020, Rwanda has recorded 15,688 Covid-19 cases. The virus has also claimed 205 lives.
