English
Kinyarwanda
Since the beginning of the year 2015, incidents such as road accidents, drowning, landslides and the like, although have shown a downward trend, continued to cause insecurity and claim lives of Rwandans despite the fact that they are avoidable.
Rwanda National Police therefore continues to appeal to the public to take serious safety precautions as well as ensure that their activities are within authorized procedures.
Drowning
A total of 27 people drowned between January 1 and 7, in accidents which could have been avoided. Four drowned in separate incidents, including children who had been ordered by their caretakers to fetch water at night, while 23 perished and11 injured in a boat that capsized on River Nyabarogo in Kamonyi District, Rugarika Sector.
Preliminary investigations indicate that not a single passenger on the boat wore a life jacket, while the small boat had been heavily overloaded.
Such accidents would not happen if seriousness was accorded to life saving procedures. Life is precious, irreplaceable and a major resource.
Rwandans operating or using water transport should therefore value their lives and that of others by wearing life jackets, travel by day time when there is enough lighting and make overloading a taboo.
It is also important on the side of parents and guardians to avoid sending children to fetch water at night. Over and again, this practice has led to disasters where young people lose their lives when they slip and drown into a deep well or a lake.
Road accidents
Much as road accidents have reduced over a period, several have occurred across the country since the beginning of the year and unfortunate deaths have occurred as a result.
Some notable incidents include an event on January 2 in Huye District, when a cyclist died on the spot when he was knocked down by a Toyota Carina. A similar incident happened in Ruhango District on January 4, when a commercial motorcyclist lost his life after being hit by a coaster truck.
Such accidents also left scores injured and nursing wounds in hospitals.
Every year, Rwanda National Police conducts a road safety awareness exercise dubbed the Traffic Week or month where it partners to educate and engage road users in promoting road security by respecting road traffic rules such as Zebra Crossing, respecting traffic lights, avoiding driving while drunk and on phone, over speeding and overloading.
Road accidents are very costly and yet they are very avoidable if both motorists and pedestrians abide by such traffic regulations.
Landslides and floods
For years now, the government has and RNP in particular has been calling upon families residing in areas demarcated as ‘High Risk Zones’ to relocate to safer zones to avoid likely disasters.
An estimated 7000 households are still located in these landslide and floods prone areas. Residing in these areas is also considered an act of environment degradation.
A number of people living in these risky zones have so far lost their lives, homes and property particularly in the rainy seasons, because they failed to heed to calls urging them to resettle in safer grounds that government is willing to resettle them to.
Whereas some families have honored this call, others still reside in such dangerous areas and continue to put their lives at unnecessary risk.
It is therefore imperative that they heed to the relocation campaign by government and safeguard their lives and belongings.
Mining hazards
Police has been at the forefront of fighting illegal mining across the country, realizing that it has dangerous consequences on those that partake in the habit.
In one of the incidents last year in October, two people died on the spot while 28 others were injured after a mine caved in Rwinkwavu mines, Kayonza District.
Police warns individuals while it continues operations to arrest persistent illegal miners who put their lives at risk.
Mining is a safe activity if it is done within the confines of the law, through which mining concession owners are obliged to provide mining equipment to the miners, including helmets, gloves, lighting and tools.
Fire outbreaks
Fire outbreaks continue to be unforeseeable occurrences with immense costs to public order, and yet, with vigilance and well implemented procedures, they are preventable.
In the last quarter of last year, Rwanda was affected by waves of fire outbreaks that affected correctional services and several commercial buildings.
A commission of inquiry established comprising Police, Energy Water and Sanitation Authority, Rwanda Housing Authority and the Ministry of Infrastructure was constituted to investigate the possible causes of these fires.
Their findings suggested that the fires were caused by poor or illegal electricity wirings, lack of sufficient firefighting equipment in commercial buildings, among others.
In order to tackle the issue timely, Police Fire Brigade launched the Disaster Reduction Week, and acquired modern firefighting equipment including three rescue trucks including one equipped with a skyscraper ladder.
Police also implores the public to call the toll free number 111, 112, and 07888311224, 07888311120 or 0788311335 in case of any disaster for quick response and rescue.
