27th March 2020

President Paul Kagame addresses the nation to say that the Government will do everything possible to support vulnerable Rwandans during the coronavirus containment period, and acknowledges the social and economic challenges that are impacting people. The hard-hit Rwandans living in urban centres without a salaried income are the most affected.

Meanwhile in the UK, the self employed are to be paid 80% of their profits, up to £2,500 a month, to help them cope with the crisis. Ironically, just like Rwanda’s subsistence farmers, it will be those who are normally considered to be worse off, and those on benefits, who will see little difference in their financial situations.

Boris Johnson has tested positive for Covid-19.  I have BBC World News on while I’m working from home. After a while I have to turn it off, as I hear the story over and over again.  Despite being ‘World News’ I hear no mention of Africa or Asia, or of the devastation of India’s 1.3 billion people going into lockdown.

The US now has over 82,000 cases of coronavirus, and has overtaken China.

There are four new cases in Rwanda, bringing the total to 54.