Rwanda National Police

The Rwanda National Police (RNP) department of Traffic and Road Safety has called upon owners and managers of transport agencies to take the lead role in ensuring that their vehicles remain in roadworthy status.

The spokesperson for the traffic department, Senior Supt. Jean Marie Vianney Ndushabandi observed that sometimes owners and managers are reluctant to follow up on the status of their automobiles.

“Some owners and managers are consumed by how much they make not the threat they pose to themselves, passengers and road users in general,” SSP Ndushabandi said.

He particularly singled out vehicles involved in transporting students, some of which he said are in sorry state, not roadworthy and accident-prone.

“We have since found out that some old vehicles have been turned into school buses; this should sound as a warning… we urge owners of these vehicles to repair them before we take action,” he warned.

“Although there are rare accidents especially involving school buses, we are taking precaution. We don’t look at penalties as the answer; we believe in responsive behavior and action comes as the last option,” SSP Ndushabandi said.

“We need to protect these children as the Police, business people in transport sector, drivers, parents and school administration,” he said, calling upon parents and teachers to equally be actively involved in ensuring safe transportation of children.