The Rwanda Workers’ Trade Unions Confederation (CESTRAR) has commended the government’s decision to establish dedicated bus lanes in Kigali, calling for their extension to other areas to support low-income workers affected by the ongoing fuel crisis.

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The US-Israel war on Iran and the subsequent closure of the Strait of Hormuz—through which around 20% of the world’s oil and natural gas flows—have led to a sharp rise in fuel prices across the globe. The International Energy Agency (IEA) describes this as the "largest supply disruption in history”.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has also advised governments to consider managing energy demand through measures such as subsidising public transport or promoting remote working to address the crisis triggered by the conflict in the Middle East.

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Rwanda has revamped its public transport system in response to the fuel crisis.

"The world is facing multiple crises, particularly the shortage of petroleum products. This has a significant impact on people’s lives, as it drives up the cost of transport and basic necessities. We thank the government for the measures taken to ensure that public transport and food delivery vehicles continue to operate without excessive price increases,” said Africain Biraboneye, Secretary-General of CESTRAR.

He encouraged workers to respond to the global crisis by adopting public transport and prioritising essential spending.

"We appreciate the ‘bus-only lane’ strategy during peak hours and hope to see an increase in the number of buses to serve more areas. We also call on employers to engage in social dialogue to adopt flexible working arrangements, including remote working where possible, to help workers save on transport costs,” he added.

Four key corridors were introduced in the first phase of the dedicated bus lanes, operating during peak hours—from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The corridors include the Downtown–Payage–Kanogo–Rwandex–Sonatube–Giporoso (Ku Cya Mitsingi) route; Sonatube–Kicukiro Centre–Nyanza Bus Park; Downtown–Former 1930 Prison–Nyabugogo Bus Park; and Downtown–Gloria Hotel–City Plaza.

The City of Kigali's transition to a service-led public transport system is beginning to yield results, with officials reporting a 30 per cent increase in passenger numbers just weeks after its rollout.