Rwandans start using litter bins

The new bins were unveiled in Kigali city centre on Wednesday

Rwandans in the capital Kigali are getting used to using the country's first rubbish bins which have appeared in the centre of their city.

The project was launched on Wednesday by the Promotion of Employment and Poverty Eradication Association (TTDU).

TTDU told Rwanda's New Times newspaper that about 1,000 bins will be placed at strategic points in the city centre.

The modern bins will be placed at a distance of 5m (16ft) apart, officials said, in a bid to maintain cleanliness.

City dwellers should take responsibility for throwing litter into the bins, authorities told the New Times newspaper.

The first two litter bins were unveiled on Wednesday, the paper reported. The project was launched in conjunction with the city council.

Kigali is reported to be cleaner than other African cities

It was unclear if it would be extended to include other areas of the capital.

In January, a law on environmental protection aimed at cleaning up cities resulted in a crackdown on the use of plastic bags by shoppers.

In 2004, thousands of people were also encouraged to take the day off work to help pick up some of the plastic bags which littered the country.

The government has always been keen to keep Rwanda clean and correspondents say the capital, Kigali, is much cleaner than other African cities.