Covid, human rights record could disrupt Kigali meetings
The Kigali Convention Centre. Rwanda was to host the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting last year but the event was rescheduled to June 25- 26 this year due to the global pandemic. PHOTO | FILE | NMG
As Rwanda prepares to host the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in June, it is walking a tightrope due to the prolonged impact of the pandemic as well as increasing pressure to improve its human rights record.
Despite enforcing strict Covid-19 protocols from the start of the pandemic, the country suffered a major setback with the second wave of infections forcing the government to re-impose restrictions countrywide, including a lockdown in Kigali for three weeks to contain the spread of the virus. As of Thursday, February 4, Rwanda had 4,426 active cases and a positivity rate of 3.7 percent.
