Nine of them were arrested in Kanombe sector on 14th January 2021 while the remaining 13 were arrested in Nyarugenge on 15th January 2021.

The Acting spokesperson of RIB, Murangira B. Thierry has told IGIHE that arrested people didn’t only smoke Shisha but also violated COVID-19 preventive measures holding parties.

“Apart from violating COVID-19 preventive measures, they were caught smoking drugs banned in Rwanda. The youth is requested to adhere to Government directives because the pandemic has taken another stage,” he said.

Murangira explained that people should understand that Shisha is not allowed in Rwanda that whoever caught selling or smoking it will face justice.

The suspects are detained at RIB stations in Remera, Nyarugunga and Nyarugenge as investigation is underway to send their files to the Prosecution.

If convicted, the suspects are liable to a sentence between one and two years or be subject to community service as per article 263 article of Rwanda’s penal code.

In December 2017, Rwanda banned the smoking of water-pipe tobacco popularly known as shisha countrywide.

The then Minister of Health, Dr Diane Gashumba issued a ministerial order banning shisha use in country based on WHO’s concerns about the harmful effects of Shisha tobacco on human health and recommendations to all Countries, Parties to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control(FCTC Parties).

Shisha tobacco smoking is said to be damaging, addictive and dangerous to human lives. The smoke that emerges from a water-pipe contains numerous toxicants known to cause lung cancer, heart diseases among others.