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The Rwandan government has altered working hours for civil servants, to give them adequate time to engage in private business or to undertake evening studies, the Minister for Public Service, Andre Bumaya, said on Wednesday.
Beginning July, the civil servants will now work between 07:00 (05:00 GMT) and 15:30 (13:30 GMT), instead of the previous times of 08:00 (06:00 GMT) and 17:00 (15:00 GMT).
Rwanda Television quoted Bumaya as saying that under the new system, civil servants only get a 30-minute lunch break, instead of the previous two-hour break.
He said the new working hours would enable low-income employees to engage in private business and enable those wishing to pursue further studies to do so.
The television reported that Bumaya said the new hours do not apply for those performing specialised duties such as teaching, banking, the medical profession and those in the private sector.
The change in the labour law follows the recent passing of two laws to pave way for democratic presidential and parliamentary elections, due to be held in August and September respectively.
Meanwhile, President Paul Kagame chaired on Saturday the first national dialogue conference, convened to discuss the various issues affecting the nation, ahead of the elections.
Kagame told the 906 delegates, who mainly comprised grassroots leaders, that they should not depend on foreign aid, but instead work with the available resources, however limited.
The recently endorsed constitution requires the president to call a national council of dialogue annually, to debate issues relating to the state of the nation, the local government and national unity.
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