Rwanda announces plan lift lockdown

The Rwandan government has publicised its plan to lift the strict lockdown the country has been under for the past six weeks.

A highly anticipated announcement declared restrictions would start to be lifted from 4 May, though it was stressed this would be a gradual process, and some measures would be maintained until further notice.

A curfew will be enforced from 20:00 to 05:00 local time.

Borders will remain closed to everyone except for cargo coming in and out, and citizens and legal residents wishing to return from abroad.

Markets will operate at half capacity, while restaurants and hotels must close by 19:00 each evening.

Individual sporting activities, such as running, will be allowed in open spaces, but sports facilities and gyms will remain closed, along with bars and places of worship.

Social distancing must be adhered to at all times, and travel between the provinces is still prohibited.

Rwanda has so far confirmed 243 cases of Covid-19, 84 of which were diagnosed over the past week.

The Ministry of Health has attributed the recent spike in the number of cases to truck drivers from Kenya and Tanzania crossing the border.

Rwanda was the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to enforce total lockdown, which appears to be paying off as it now moves to lift those restrictions.

[Photo: AFP]