As Covid-19 cases continue to surge in Kigali City, authorities have instituted measures where some of the city streets are being closed to create space for restaurants. This is being done to encourage more open-air activity and avoid more closed spaces, which epidemiologists believe is a major spreader for the Covid-19 pandemic. On June 22, the country recorded 861 Covid-19 cases of which 388 cases were recorded in Kigali City. So far there are 5,192 active cases countrywide. “The City of Kigali has closed three streets to cars and motorcycles in Biryogo (Nyamirambo) in order to create more room for restaurants to practice social distancing,” an announcement by city authorities said on Wednesday. Officials said that restaurants mostly selling green tea and ugali (cassava bread) in Biryogo are now granted a piece of the street to serve their clients in an open-air environment. Restaurants are allowed to set up tables and chairs in streets or parking lots where their clients can now be served. “Only tables and chairs are allowed in the designated areas for dining.” The closed roads include Biryogo KN 113 St, KN 115 St, KN 126 St for motorized vehicles. Marie-Solange Muhirwa, Chief of Urban Planning at the City of Kigali, explained that the initiative was taken after visiting the area and found outlets there very congested, making it difficult to respect social distancing at almost all hours of the day. “The decision aims to decongest restaurants and the given space will ensure clients are served in compliance with social distancing guidelines. The restaurants can also set up temporary amenities like umbrellas under which clients can sit and be served in enough space to enable social distancing,” she said. She said that for closed roads, there are alternative roads adding residential houses owners who have cars were not affected. Muhirwa added once other spaces with restaurants are found congested, the same initiative could be replicated as a measure to contain Covid-19. “There are other congested areas with restaurants. Once we find any, we will intervene after an analysis which will be done in collaboration with police for traffic management,” she said.
