It has emerged that Rwandans caught breaking coronavirus regulations such as the imposed curfew, and mandatory wearing of masks, are being sent to stadiums for all-night lectures on the dangers of coronavirus.
Since mid-July, official figures show that about 70,000 people accused of ignoring the 9:00 pm curfew or rules on mandatory face masks have been ordered by police to sit through hours of speeches at local arenas or detention centres.
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.
Hundreds have been corralled into classes at arenas across the country, including the national stadium in Kigali.
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. From now on i will wear that mask even whren i sleep because i now know COVID-19 can hurt my family” said one ‘prisoner’.