By Christophe Uwizeyimana
Decoration balloons are not allowed in Rwanda.Ihis is what the Minister of Environment in Rwanda, Dr Jeanne D'Arc, said on her Twitter page on October 4, 2022, at 3:59 p.m.Link of her message:https://twitter.com/MujaJeanne/status/1577297435503857664/photo/1
In her message she said: "The decoration balloons are not allowed, because the environmental protection law prohibits them. She added: ‘’let’s live together in peace with the environment!! This is against the law on environment. Let's all live in harmony with nature, avoiding the usage of single use plastics.''
In the questions asked by the users of twitter, she replied that all things made of plastic are harmful and those which can be used only once, it is illegal to use them. She said: "All single-use plastic items are not allowed, and the more we reduce them, the more we will become a country free from plastic waste."
In Rwanda, there is a law N° 17/2019 of 10/08/2019 regarding the prohibition of the production, import, use and trade of single-use plastic items. The purpose of this law is to prohibit and control single-use plastic bottles and containers. In Article 5 which returns to environmental protection, indicates that: "Products imported from abroad packaged in single-use plastics shall be paid environmental duty in accordance with the relevant laws."
Christophe Uwizeyimana is a Rwandan Health, Science, Agriculture and Environmental Journalist with over 10 years of experience in public-interest reporting. He is a reporter and editor at Radio Salus and Chief Editor of The Forefront Magazine.
He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Rwanda and is currently pursuing an International Master of Public Administration (IMPA) at Tsinghua University, China. He has also received professional training from FOJO Media Institute, University of Rwanda, and Aga Khan University, Kenya. He is an OFAB-Rwanda journalist fellow, specializing in agricultural biotechnology reporting.
Selected Awards
• Best Radio Journalist in Rwanda, NTDs/WASH Media Awards — 2024
• Best Statistics Reporter (Radio), Rwanda Data Journalism Awards — 2024
• Best Environmental Journalist in Southern Rwanda — 2024
• Health Reporting Winner, Rwanda Development Journalism Awards — 2023
• Health Award, ABASIRWA — 2023
• Overall Winner, Rwanda, OFAB Media Awards — 2023
• 2nd Place, Africa (Radio), OFAB Africa Media Awards — 2023
• Best Environmental Journalist in Southern Rwanda — 2022
• Anti-Corruption Journalism Award, Office of the Ombudsman — 2022
• Journalist of the Year, Radio Salus — 2018.
He is a member of the InfoNile Journalists and Scientists' Coalition and the Rwanda Environmental Journalists' Organization, with a strong focus on evidence-based reporting on health, science, agriculture, environment and climate change.
Christophe Uwizeyimana is a Rwandan Health, Science, Agriculture and Environmental Journalist with over 10 years of experience in public-interest reporting. He is a reporter and editor at Radio Salus and Chief Editor of The Forefront Magazine.
He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Rwanda and is currently pursuing an International Master of Public Administration (IMPA) at Tsinghua University, China. He has also received professional training from FOJO Media Institute, University of Rwanda, and Aga Khan University, Kenya. He is an OFAB-Rwanda journalist fellow, specializing in agricultural biotechnology reporting.
Selected Awards
• Best Radio Journalist in Rwanda, NTDs/WASH Media Awards — 2024
• Best Statistics Reporter (Radio), Rwanda Data Journalism Awards — 2024
• Best Environmental Journalist in Southern Rwanda — 2024
• Health Reporting Winner, Rwanda Development Journalism Awards — 2023
• Health Award, ABASIRWA — 2023
• Overall Winner, Rwanda, OFAB Media Awards — 2023
• 2nd Place, Africa (Radio), OFAB Africa Media Awards — 2023
• Best Environmental Journalist in Southern Rwanda — 2022
• Anti-Corruption Journalism Award, Office of the Ombudsman — 2022
• Journalist of the Year, Radio Salus — 2018.
He is a member of the InfoNile Journalists and Scientists' Coalition and the Rwanda Environmental Journalists' Organization, with a strong focus on evidence-based reporting on health, science, agriculture, environment and climate change.