Police Orders Public Transporters to Install Speed Governors

The Rwanda National Police (RNP) department of Traffic and Road Safety has yet again reminded public transporters to speed up the installation of speed governors to further prevent road traffic carnage especially those that are caused by high speed, and to avoid likely penalties that might arise of defiance.

In an interview, Supt. Jean Marie Vianney Ndushabandi, the spokesperson of the traffic department, said that although some transporters have “honoured their own set deadline,” there are others that have either made no attempt or are yet to programme the installed devices to 60 kilometres-per-hour maximum speed, as per the gazetted of February 26, 2015 Presidential Order.

Article 2 of the Presidential Order, stipulates that “any public or goods’ transport vehicle must be equipped with speed governors to control maximum road speed.”

The same article sets exactly one year from the date of publication of this directive, for all vehicles in question to have installed the device, in this case February 26 being the deadline.

“After several meetings between transporters and other concerned institutions like the ministries of Internal Security and Infrastructure which is also charged with transport, RNP and RURA, including that held last November, the transporters themselves set December 15, 2015 (one month) for all vehicles commuting to the countryside to have fitted these devices while those operating within Kigali take another extra month up to January 15, 2016,” Supt. Ndushabandi explained.

This varied period of installation, he said, was meant not to obstruct the transport sectors or delay movement of people.

“We call upon transporters, who are yet to implement this directive, to do so before the deadline because failure to do so in the set timeframe attracts penalties,” he said.

“This directive was put in place to reduce road carnage and protect people’s lives that otherwise would be lost due to high speed. There was ample time to comply and implement it and we are keen on this deadline because we have to ensure the security of people while on roads.”

Supt. Ndushabandi revealed that a team has been instituted to conduct an inspection exercise to see if all the transporters have “complied with their set target and the Presidential Order.”