Rwanda National Police

The Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Johnston Busingye, has said that Rwanda is on course to achieving record road safety levels and that government efforts to save lives on road will not be spared.

The Minister, who was addressing the media this Thursday at the Rwanda National Police (RNP) General Headquarters in Kacyiru, said that the “road safety sector has assumed ownership” but added that “safety on road should be a choice.”

The Police-Media interaction session was also attended by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dan Munyuza, Prosecutor General Jean Bosco Mutangana and the Secretary General of Rwanda Investigation Bureau, Col. Jeannot Ruhunga.

“We are on course to achieving an orderly, efficient and fast public transport sector and the strengthened road safety campaigns and operations are designed to achieve that target to guarantee safety for all,” Minister Busingye said.

"One fatal accident can go as far as affecting the family, community, business and the economy; it's something that stands between poverty and development," the Minister said

He added: “The ideal of this year-long campaign and operations should be widely welcomed and supported. A driver cannot do two things; it's a complete profession that cannot be mixed with alcohol or using a phone when driving. We will not wither until people understand that this is a life-saving act."

"Rwanda should be a road safety by choice country, laws and regulations should come last. Speeding, zero alcoholic, skilled drivers and divided attention; all these are good and bad choices we make. We want drivers, who take safer choices without being forced.

Prevention is a better choice rather than cure or post-mortem. The cost of unsafe roads is loss of lives, lifetime injuries, property, and financial loss. We should and will not get tired to prevent such.”

At least 532 people died in road accidents between January and September this year. Other 705 accidents were registered as serious in the same period while over 1300 properties were also destroyed. 652 drivers were arrested in the last eight weeks after they were found driving while drunk while other 588 were arrested in the same period for disconnecting speed governor devices in their vehicles.

Minister Busingye commended the role of the media for influencing change in road security calling it “phenomenon and building a safer community.”

IGP Munyuza explained that the 52-week campaign is also aimed at instilling the spirit of positive behaviors related to respecting set speed limits, preventing drunk-driving, protecting children against alcoholic drinks and drugs.

“We urge Rwandans to adopt this culture of not endangering children with alcohol and drugs; this is the responsibility of owners, managers and attendants in bars and entertainment spots to own this; the media fraternity to write against it; Rwandans to report people who abuse the rights of children,” IGP Munyuza said.

He further advised against public drunkenness, which is also against the law.

Prosecutor General, Jean Bosco Mutangana emphasized that the “law is clear against serving alcoholic drinks, public drunkenness and driving while drunk.”

He said that fatal and serious accidents caused by drunkenness can be treated as manslaughter and causing unintentional bodily harm, respectively.

Manslaughter, under article 111 of the penal code attracts an imprisonment of between six months and two years, and a fine of Rwf500, 000 to Rwf2 million or only one of these penalties.

Causing unintentional bodily harm, on the other hand, is punishable under 118 with an imprisonment term of at least three months and not more than six months and a fine of up to Rwf1 million. The penalty can go up to two years’ imprisonment if it results into death.

Public drunkenness is also punishable under article 268 with an imprisonment of between eight days and two months and a fine of between Rwf20, 000 and Rwf100, 000 or only one of the penalties.    

Security status

Minister Busingye said that safety and security in Rwanda is intact.

“We have experienced external infiltrations but what everyone should know is that attacking Rwanda is committing suicide; know that when you attack Rwanda you will not go back, those who decide to put down their weapons will get justice and those who resist will meet their fate, those who support and send people to attack us are also advised not to send people to die… our security organs and Rwandans in general are awake and they have proved that,” Minister Busingye warned.

“We have the will and we will continue working with other countries to fight these terror attacks, our territory will not be used by anybody to destabilize our neighbours,” he added.

Col. Ruhunga said that RIB cannot be everywhere to prevent and fight crimes and appealed to the media to play a great role in preventive reporting but also reporting wrongdoers saying that it is a “collective responsibility of all Rwandans to ensure a safer and crime free country.”