Rwanda on Thursday started relief food distribution to residents in the capital city Kigali who currently have no source of income due to the latest lockdown imposed earlier this week.
The exercise aims to make sure the vulnerable groups are taken into account, it said
Mobilsed volunteers – who will have tested Covid-19 negative – will distribute food relief door-to-door instead of having households gathered in a crowd at village and cell offices as an effective way of preventing the spread of the pandemic, according the Minister for Local Government, Anastase Shyaka.
According to him, government is ready to support those to be affected by the pandemic in terms of daily income generation and survival adding that Good Samaritans who also want to provide food support should pass it through city of Kigali or local leaders for collaboration and better organization.
Currently local administrative leaders are still identifying more affected beneficiaries and testing youth volunteers who will help in the operation.
Any person with food shortage can approach or call local officials for support to ensure no one is left behind, a senior local administratibe leader in Kigali city said.
With the exception of Kigali which is under lockdown as part of COVID-19 prevention measure, curfew hours in other parts of the country have been extended to between 6p.m and 4a.m. Previously, curfew hours were between 8p.m to 4a.m.
According to a statement of cabinet resolutions, the city-wide lockdown will last for two weeks.
Meanwhile, essential commodities like food, drinks, and medication among others remain accessible during the mentioned period.
CU/abj/APA