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Kinyarwanda
Sell or use of plastic bags is prohibited and punishable by law in Rwanda.
Fighting plastic carry bags and single-use plastic items is, therefore, part of the Rwanda National Police (RNP) routine operations to enforce the law.
In separate operations conducted on Monday, May 1, in Gakenke and Burera districts, Police arrested two women, who were at the time trafficking over 83,200 pieces of the outlawed non-biodegradable polythene bags.
One woman was intercepted in Nyamure village, Nyacyina cell of Gashenyi sector in Gakenke District with 306 cartons (61200 pieces) of plastic bags.
She was trafficking the harmful plastic packaging products in a vehicle, Fuso type.
In Burera District, the 35-year old woman was arrested in Mutara village, Rwasa cell in Gahunga sector in possession of 22000 pieces of the outlawed products. She was also traveling in public vehicle from Cyanika heading to Musanze District.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Alex Ndayisenga, the Northern Region Political and Civic Education Officer (RPCEO), said that the two women were arrested by the Revenue Protection Unit (RPU).
"The suspect arrested in Gakenke was at the time heading to Kigali where she was taking the plastic bags, after getting them from another dealer in Musanze District, who is yet to be arrested.
At about 9p.m, another woman was arrested in Burera after sneaking 110 cartons (22000 pieces) of plastic bags into Rwanda from Uganda through a porous border point," SP Ndayisenga said.
He warned against such unlawful acts, which pose ill-effects on the environment.
Manufacturing, use, importation or sale of plastic carry bags and single-use plastic items are prohibited under article 3 of law N° 17/2019 of 10/08/2019 relating to the prohibition of manufacturing, importation, use, and sale of plastic carry bags and single-use plastic items in Rwanda.
In article 10, any person, who imports plastic carry bags and single-use plastic items is liable to the dispossession of those plastic carry bags and such items, and to an administrative fine equivalent to ten times the value of those plastic carry bags and single-use plastic items.
