In Rwanda: Car Free Day Retreated, for Six Months

By Abdul Rahman Bangura–

NEW AFRICA DAILY NEWS (NADN) Freetown, Sierra Leone- There on a stint of six-month holdup, citizens of Rwanda of all epochs showed into boulevards across Kigali as the Car Free Day eventually put back on Sunday, September 20th 2020 obeying the Ministry of Sports’ announcement a week before. The bi-monthly bodily group sports exercise was among sports workouts which were rescinded in March to restrict the spread of the Novel Coronavirus pandemic ( Covid-19) after the first case was recorded in Rwanda in March 2020.

Aurore Mimosa Munyangaju – Rwanda’s Sports Minister and the Rwandan City Mayor – Pudence Rubingisa were among the participants of Sunday’s Car Free Day, as a segment of people cheerily retired from Amahoro National Stadium directing to Rwanda Revenue Authority’s headquarters, passing through Gishushu, Kigali Business Centre (KBC) and the Office of the Ombudsman.

It was an exceedingly big turn up at the mass sport, as people were seen either walking, running, stretching or cycling across the streets. A one-meter-distance between a person and another was also respected. Regardless, mass meetings, which used to draw people together at each of the designated sites in Kigali, and voluntary medical testing sessions were both disallowed to avert infringing stratagems set to prevent the spread of the COVID-19. Minister Munyangaju explained that, picking up where one left off Car Free Day was a significant consequence seized to give people from across Kigali, and beyond, a room to keep fit but making sure that they kowtow with preventive criteria against Covid-19.

“Although the pandemic still exists, people need to work out which many Rwandans believe plays a big part of a healthy life because it contributes a lot in the prevention of some diseases caused by not exercising,” Munyangaju asserted.

“People are trying to respect guidelines in streets and we have young volunteers across streets who are making sure they are following the measures. But now everybody is concerned and it is the right time to tell people that even if you are exercising you need to take measures seriously,” she reinforced.

In first-half of June, 2020, the Rwanda administration offered people greenlight to continue non-contact sports activities in abidance with safety procedures. Few sports like Golf, Tennis, Badminton, Athletics, Cycling and Motor sports were among disciplines that resumed since June 8th, though no tournaments were allowed to happen yet.

As part of the move, people regularly gather at Amahoro National Stadium for several physical exercises.

Around 500 sports people gather at the stadium every Sunday and Munyangaju explained the numbers were quite worrying hence the need to resume Car Free Day to establish more space for them, so they can do sports in a livable way and avert any likelihoods of getting infected with Covid-19. The mass sport exercise glanced like something new to some participants that, intimated to the media that, they have been dawdle for it for a long time.

“Six months has been too long and I really missed Car Free Day. Yes, I would do sports but I was uncomfortable to walk on overcrowded streets, with cars also crossing around. It’s a relief not only to me but also to so many people among us who are looking to be back to fitness. Bringing the Car Free Day was a good decision which I am sure will benefit our health,” explained Danny Mugenzi, one of Sunday’s Car Free Day partaker.

For New Africa Daily News Abdul Rahman Bangura Reports,  Africa Correspondent

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