Charles Mutabazi and Rosette Nyamwiza have been preparing for their wedding since last year. On March 14, introduction and dowry ceremonies were held, exactly the same day when Rwanda reported its first case of COVID-19. Their marriage ceremony was scheduled for March 21, exactly the same day when the government imposed a countrywide lockdown banning all social gatherings and public activities. “The week after the dowry, we tried to ask our residential sector (leaders) if we could be legally married. It was too late, coronavirus numbers were increasing and social distancing was mandatory,” Mutabazi narrates. The couple understands well the rationale behind banning social activities like their wedding and they did not quit but are waiting for the ban to be lifted to reschedule their wedding. “It is heart-breaking when I think how I should be living with my wife if it was not for coronavirus,” he sadly says. Mutabazi and Nyamwiza are some of the many Rwandan couples whose weddings have been halted due to the COVID-19 measures. Jackie, first name withheld on request, just like Nyamwiza, cancelled her wedding. Preparations had been going on for a year. Jackie and her husband to be, had already booked and paid for the wedding venue plus other services. Their wedding was scheduled to take place on March 21 and 28. “We had already paid for some services but the lockdown was implemented a week before our wedding. We cannot guarantee if suppliers are still interested, but we will resume as soon as the lockdown is lifted,” she explains. Trickledown effects to service providers Couples are not the only ones affected. Wedding events organisers, decorators and MCs among other service providers have suffered financial losses. Jeannette Mahirwe is a mother of two and has a family of seven people. She is a wedding planner. On average, Mahirwe would earn Rwf200,000 in one month. With the whole business now frozen, she has no other source of income. On the side of the couples, losses were encountered. Mutabazi told us that there are services that she had paid for. “We are not sure if suppliers will resume agreements because I am sure they also encountered their own losses. We will see how it ends,” he says. For Jackie, they already paid MCs and some other services, she prays that they come to an agreement and resume when the lockdown is over. Recently, the Private Sector Federation revealed that it is discussing with the government on ways in which halted employees and businesses can be supported. Speaking to The New Times on in a phone interview, Theoneste Ntagengerwa, the spokesperson of the Federation, revealed that discussions to find out how the federation can partner with the government to support affected businesses are ongoing and agreements are expected to be reached in late April. Rwanda has been under lockdown for one month. The lockdown was recently expected to April 30.
