Last week was somewhat fair to Rwanda, in comparison to previous ones. The countrywide vaccination process kicked off with the Ministry of Health reporting that over 250,000 people have so far received their first shots and many more looking forward to their date with the jab. Rwanda stood out in the process as citizens and residents of all walks of life and social classes across the country included in the process. This is indicative of the readiness of the country to resume ‘normalcy’ after weeks of preparation by the various authorities. The daily updates of the Health Ministry also point to dropping infection rates and rising recoveries. The country was also found ready to host the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting scheduled for the 21st of June this year. The readiness is despite all the social economic problems the country and the world has had to deal with over the past year. The Commonwealth secretary general, on her three day visit in the country, said that the readiness was not only evident in the sites ready but also in the nation’s eagerness to receive guests without jeopardizing safety of both citizens and visitors. This week, the eagerly awaited cabinet decisions brought a sigh of relief to many, as Covid-19 restrictions were eased further, including longer working hours and easier countrywide movement, breathing the much-needed oxygen into the national economy. The developments can be termed as a positive tide to make the most of. A positive tide in that it’s an opportunity for the country to complete preparations ahead of the oncoming summit with less than 100 days to go as well as further allow resumption of economic activity to ensure previous years’ progress is not undone in the process. The progress is not without its set of challenges which include ensuring that the country does not fall back in aspects such as letting our guard down with regard to the pandemic that is within our midst. Even with the continued vaccination process, preventive measures still stand. Wearing masks well, sanitizing and ensuring social distancing is not yet behind us, at least for now.
