This archive report was first published on 7 August 2020.
Published on August 7, 2020, Rwanda has taken a tough approach to stem the spread of the coronavirus, with citizens being sent to stadiums for all-night lectures on the dangers of the virus.
Since mid-July, over 70,000 people have been ordered by police to sit through hours of speeches at local arenas or detention centres for breaking the 9:00 pm curfew or rules on mandatory face masks.
Every evening, in stadiums across Rwanda, public health messaging is blared through loudspeakers to spectators seated at least a metre apart in the stands, imploring them to be ambassadors in the fight against the new virus.
"From now on, I'll wear it wherever I am," said Jado son Nizeyimana, who was stopped by police for wearing his mask incorrectly.
Police have taken to informing bosses of their employees' transgressions, and others were given a choice: they could avoid public admonishment if they paid a fine of 25,000 Rwandan francs ($26/22 euros), well out of reach for many in a country where a waiter earns as little as $60 a month.
"I was arrested twice, and spent the night at the stadium on both occasions. Both times I was caught after curfew. The alternative was to pay a heavy fine, but I don't have any money. I am looking for a job," said 25-year-old Elly Niganze.
