In a bid to clean up Kigali City, seven business operators in Kimihurura Sector in Gasabo District were on Tuesday fined Rwf 20,000 each for using polythene bags.

The operation that started early in the morning, the unsuspecting traders were caught red-handed using polythene bags in their shops to pack merchandise for their clients.

The government a few years ago imposed a ban on polythene bags as a way of preserving the environment.

In an interview with Felix Kayihura, the Executive Secretary of Kimihurura Sector, he said that the exercise was initiated under the campaign of maintaining cleanliness within the city and its suburbs, as well as respecting the law.

"These people we have caught red-handed with polythene bags will serve as an example to the rest,” he said, adding that the operation will go on for a week.

Polythene materials were banned following a study that concluded that their non-biodegradable nature and long-term impact make them extremely difficult to manage, posing a major threat to the environment.

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