The figures announced this past weekend by the Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA) paint a troubling picture on the state of our air quality. One in every five vehicles tested during the pilot phase of the country’s new emission inspection programme failed to meet the required standards. Over 9000 vehicles were tested during the pilot that started in August.
That means more than twenty percent of cars on our roads are releasing pollutants far above what is acceptable, and this should concern motorists and every Rwandan citizen.
The exercise is not a bureaucratic routine. It is about safeguarding the air we breathe, protecting our health, and securing our future. Every vehicle that fails the test and continues to operate unchecked contributes to a growing public health burden. It means more respiratory illnesses, more costs to our health system, and ultimately, a lower quality of life for all. Clean air is not a privilege; it is a right that we all share the duty to protect.
Motorists must therefore take this exercise seriously. Servicing vehicles regularly, fixing exhaust problems, and ensuring engines run efficiently are small acts of responsibility that have a large collective impact. Passing an emission test should become a matter of personal pride, not just a regulatory requirement. The convenience of ignoring maintenance today will never outweigh the cost to public health tomorrow.
At the same time, these results call for a bigger shift in how we think about transport. If one in five vehicles is already polluting beyond limits, then our long-term solution cannot only be stricter inspection.
It must also be a transition to cleaner mobility. Rwanda has already taken commendable steps in promoting electric vehicles by offering tax exemptions and supporting investment in charging infrastructure. These efforts should be strengthened and extended beyond Kigali to ensure that electric mobility becomes a national reality rather than a city-based privilege.
Government incentives must continue to make electric vehicles more affordable, while the private sector should be encouraged to invest in charging stations along highways and in secondary cities. This is how we build the confidence motorists need to make the switch. The environmental and economic gains of cleaner transport far outweigh the initial cost of transition.
The data from REMA should serve as a warning but also as motivation. Cleaner air is achievable if every motorist plays their part and if the country remains committed to a future driven by sustainable choices. The road to that future begins with each of us deciding to drive clean and breathe easy.