Wednesday, October 2nd, 2013

Change in transport policy causes Senate headache

Minibus drivers feel they are squeezed out of the market. (file photo)

Recently, Kigali changed trans­port zones and regulations for minibuses in an effort to shorten lines at bus stops and im­prove overall transportation in the city. While the public welcomed the change, some transporters are unhap­py.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=QYpwyRApCII#t=64

The changes resulted in removing some mini-bus drivers from the road, and now those drivers are petitioning the government to reconsider its ac­tions.
On September 17, drivers in the Association of Transporters went to the Prime Minister’s office and the senate with a letter presenting their complaints, namely, losing their busi­nesses. They are demanded that they be allowed to reopen their transport businesses after reforms are complete.
Instead of seeing their demands taken into consideration, however, the drivers were arrested and put into jail by security forces for illegal dem­onstrating.

On September 23, the commission of finance in the senate scrutinized the appeal as presented to it by these citizens and said that it will make a decision after listening to both par­ties.
“Drivers presented to us their ap­peal saying that they were treated with injustice. Tomorrow we will talk to the other party, the city of Kigali, then after we will communicate to you the decision,” said Perine Mu­kankusi, the head of finance commis­sion of the senate.
The problem seemed to be tricky on Tuesday, as the meeting was a closed one, attended by the mayor of the city of Kigali, Fidel Ndayisaba, the Min­ister of State in charge of transport, Alexis Nzahabwanimana, as well as other officials from RURA and the members of senate.
However, neither of these officials has talked to the press.
Fidel Ndayisaba on his side was saying, “This is at the senate, put your questions to them.”
The senators were also not ready to comment on the issue or respond to questions from the journalists present.

“We request that parliament advocates for us and that we be given three years of additional time to operate in Kigali.”

The transport reform allows only three companies to operate in the city of Kigali, while the remaining buses and minibuses are relegated to using secondary, less traveled roads.
According to officials, the new transport reform was put in place to bring positive change to the city and reduce long rush hour queues.
While the out-of-work minibus drivers complain that they can no lon­ger afford to feed their families, the mayor of the city told that the new transportation policy was not intend­ed to help the vulnerable, but to im­prove transport in the city.
Kigali Bus Services (KBS), Royal Express and Rwanda Transport Fed­eration Cooperative (RFTC) share passengers in designated transport zones.
James Ngirente, a mini-bus driver, says that drivers have asked the par­liament to advocate for their jailed colleagues to be released, and that people with mini busses be granted the license to operate in the city, as they plan to invest in buying busses.
“We request that parliament advocates for us and that we be given three years of additional time to op­erate in Kigali. We also need our col­leagues taken by the police to be re­leased,” he said.
After presenting the letter to the Prime Minster’s office, these drivers went to Kacyiru bus station, where they met their colleagues and from where the police arrested them.
While the drivers of minibuses ap­peal for their lost jobs, passengers in Kigali say that the new system is more efficient and convenient.
“After the reform and implementa­tion of transport zones, things have been well arranged in the city. There are no longer people coming to push passengers into their small cars. Now we simply know what bus is coming and we wait for the right time to go to a certain destination,” says Clarisse Uwayo.
The new transport system was launched on August 30, 2013.
According to the spokesperson of the police, the case against the dem­onstrating drivers was handed to the prosecution.