Rwanda National Police

Residents in City of Kigali and in eight other districts, which were placed under lockdown that started on Saturday, July 17, are optimistic that this was a ?decisive government call? which will go a long way to slow down the rate of Covid-19 infections and save many lives.

City of Kigali alongside the districts of Rubavu, Rutsiro, Musanze, Burera, Gicumbi, Kamonyi, Rwamagana, and Nyagatare were put under lockdown until July 26, as the government strives to stop the surge of the deadly Covid Delta variant.

Innocent Iraguha, a resident of Nyabugogo Cell, Muhima Sector of Nyarugenge District believes that the ?current situation is fragile and staying home or avoiding unnecessary movements is choosing life over death.?

?There are some people, who leave their homes with foodstuff to deceive the Police that they are coming from the market as a trick to engage in prohibited practices or unnecessary movements forgetting that you are putting yourself and the entire family in danger. We are in a situation where life is not about making right or wrong choices, but it is about choosing life over death,? said Iraguha.

Like Iraguha, Stephanie Mukahirwa, another Kigali resident said that the surge in infections and related fatalities in the last two weeks calls for families to stay in one place if they want to be safe and ultimately give ample room for the government to trace and treat those infected.

?The government?s decisive decision to ask us to stay at home is for our safety; with the daily infections and deaths, the lockdown was the only option left. The more we understand and abide by the directives the more we comprehend our individual responsibility in the enforcement and reporting violators,? said Mukahirwa.

Rwanda National Police spokesperson, Commissioner of Police (CP) John Bosco Kabera, appealed to the public not to disregard the new guidelines and to support the enforcement efforts by sharing information on anyone flouting the directives.

?It is not the first time that we have faced the lockdown in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic in our country; we have managed to pull through before and this will be no different. We call upon all residents of Rwanda to exercise patience and be parties in the fight against the pandemic by staying home.
Whereas it is the duty of the Police to enforce the directives, positive behaviours and actions will go a long way to slow down the infection rate and easing the lockdown,? CP Kabera said.

He, however, warned that the Police understands various tricks that are employed by some members of the public to engage in prohibited practices.

?There are those, who move with foodstuff in cars all day long, those who exchange movement clearance messages or attempt to deceive so as to get the movement permit. Anyone, who will be caught in such inappropriate behaviours will be dealt with accordingly,? the spokesperson warned.

ALSO READ: Know and comply with new COVID-19 prevention directives
www.police.gov.rw/media-archives/news-detail/news/know-and-comply-with-new-covid-19-prevention-directives/