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Kinyarwanda
Commercial motorcyclists in the City of Kigali have committed to respect road safety standards so as to prevent accidents.
They the commitment this Saturday during a meeting in Kimihurura Sector of Gasabo District.
Daniel Ngarambe, the head of federation of motorcycle cooperatives, said that the federations has taken steps to ensure behavioral change among their members towards road safety, crime prevention and supporting development activities.
He said that it's now compulsory for all motoryclists to take part in Umuganda and added that they have introduced clusters where members discuss issues to do with road safety, and advise each other on appropriate behaviours.
During the official launch of the road safety campaign early this week, Ngarambe disclosed that they are building a database to register every commercial motorcyclist and owners of motorcycles, which will also help to trace implicated wrongdoers and violators of traffic rules, keep records of their members’ behavior and help them to take action against erran
The vice mayor for the City of Kigali in charge of Social Affairs, Patricia Muhongerwa, urged them too actively be part of the community development programmes to fast-track socio-economic development targets.
“We are all together in security and development as Rwandans; what one does shouldn’t be an obstacle or affect the other. Ride safely on roads knowing that there are also other users,” the vice Mayor said.
She further challenged them to also refrain from drug abuse and also uphold hygiene and sanitation in their homes and body.
Senior Supt. Jean Marie Vianney Ndushabandi, the spokesperson for Traffic and road safety department reminded them that their irresponsible behaviours continue to cause fatal accidents.
Senior Supt. Ndushabandi told the motorcyclists that changing their behaviours such as bad maneuvers, speeding and failure to respect zebra crossing and traffic control lights, road safety will improve greatly.
Although accidents involving public service vehicles and trucks reduced by 40 per cent and 23 per cent, respectively, in the last four months compared to the same period last year, those caused or involving motorcyclists increased by 15 per cent.
About 38 percent of all fatalities registered in the same period were also either caused or involved motorcyclists.
“Accidents are preventable, but this requires individual behavioral change as well as collective efforts to take internal measures against errant members,” SSP Ndushabandi observed.
