Govt reassures motorcyclists on raised concerns, use of fare meter remains mandatory

The development follow the recent incident where motorcyclists in Kigali staged protests on 13th January 2022 requesting authorities to hear their concerns and solve issues affecting their business.

These include poor cooperatives’ management and irrelevant contributions that do not generate returns, hiked insurance premium, difficulties in motorcycle ownership transfer and losses incurred by fare meter tariffs among others.

The Minister of Infrastructure, Dr. Erneste Nsabimana has said that the resolutions made public on Friday 25th February 2022 were reached after assessing raised concerns.

Among others, motorcyclists’ cooperatives in Kigali have been reduced from 41 to 5 and will operate differently from the previous ones. Else, some services that motorcyclists would receive from cooperatives have been transferred to Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority (RURA).

Motorcyclists’ contributions to cooperatives have been annulled, operators paying tax in four months have been exempted from late payment charges and penalties while fees paid to RURA have been reduced.

Minister Nsabimana revealed that the issue of hiked insurance premium is being reviewed.

“Another concern you have been raising is about insurance. The Government oversees interests of all citizens. It has understood the concern which is being reviewed with resolutions to be announced without delays,” he said.

It has been agreed that motorcyclists without driving license will be helped to do driving tests to operate in transparency. Among others, Rwanda Cooperative Agency (RCA) has been tasked to facilitate the transfer of motorcycles ownership.

Minister Nsabimana has also revealed that using fare meters is mandatory with the revised tariffs where the first two kilometers attract Rwf400 as per motorcyclists request instead of the previous Rwf300.

“The world is going digital. Technology goes hand in hand with security. As the Government has been facilitating you, it counts on your collaboration to roll out the technology helping us to guarantee our security. No commercial motorcyclist will be allowed to operate in Kigali without fare meter,” he affirmed.

Theogene Minani, a commercial motorcyclist operating in Nyarugenge district has welcomed the resolutions noting that they will help them run their business smoothly.