The National Council of People with Disabilities (NCPD) said it has received several complaints about the denial of driving licenses to people with speech and hearing impairment.

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The complaint is raised as Rwanda prepares to observe the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) - a UN day that is celebrated every year on December 3.

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Speaking during a press conference on November 27, Emmanuel Ndayisaba, the executive secretary of the council, said a team was also deployed to discuss the matter with concerned institutions. The council and people with speech and hearing impairment are advocating for change in the law governing traffic.

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The barrier is still a concern despite a policy approved in 2021 aimed at promoting the full inclusion and participation of People with Disabilities (PwDs) in all sectors of society.

"We have many people with speech and hearing impairment who are already driving but they got driving licenses from other countries. I think Rwanda should also start providing such licenses. As of now, people with speech and hearing impairment have not even been involved in any accident while driving. They are even more careful than others,” he said, adding that having a driver’s license could enable them to earn a living.

"The vehicle should have a sign showing that the driver has hearing and speech impairment. Sign language penetration among all people will also ease communication with people who have speech and hearing impairment,” Ndayisaba noted.

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Parfait Rwaka, a Rwandan with speech and hearing impairment, is a professional driver earning a monthly salary. The 44-year-old who has been driving for 24 years shows great determination and reliability.

He is an employee of the Rwanda National Union of the Deaf (RNUD).

Rwaka has often tried to obtain a Rwandan driving license but failed because of his disability.

He got the driver's license he uses from Uganda and every time it expires, he gets a new one from Uganda.

"Whenever I want to renew my driving license I go to Uganda because Rwanda has not yet allowed deaf people to drive. We need a change in the [Rwandan] law governing traffic,” he said.

According to Transparency International Rwanda, the denial of driving licenses to people with speech and hearing impairment is among the complaints it received from citizens.

"Deaf and speech impairment complaints about driving licenses are critical cases we received,” said Colette Ndabarushimana, the Policy and Legal Coordinator at TI Rwanda.

During dialogues with Transparency International on November 17, 2023, Pelagie Uwera, the Vice Chairperson of the Senate Standing Committee for Political Affairs and Good Governance, also said that there is a need for a law allowing people with speech and hearing impairment to own driving licenses.

"Such driving licenses are provided to people with speech and hearing impairment elsewhere across the world,” she said.

ACP Teddy Ruyenzi who was representing the police during the discussions said: "As police, we have no problem. The problem is the lack of such a law. We enforce laws. If the law allowing people with speech and hearing impairment to own driving licenses is established we can enforce it.”