The Commissioner General of Police, Emmanuel Gasana, has urged the population to work closer with the force in order to reduce on the number of accidents and ensure a clean and green environment.

He was launching the National Police’s Hygiene, Road and Environmental Safety Week in Kigali yesterday.
According to a Police report, close to 33,000 road accidents registered since 2001 have claimed over 3,000 lives.

"All this was a result of either carelessness or drunk driving,” Gasana noted.

He called upon Rwandans to partner with the force and other concerned agencies to reduce accidents and ensure a clean and green Kigali and Rwanda in general, and also protect the environment.

Gasana also said that 50 palm trees have also been destroyed in Kigali city in the last three years due to accidents. Currently, anyone who knocks down a palm tree in Kigali on Kigali’s boulevards is fined Rwf 1m.

City Mayor, Aisa Kirabo Kacyira who presided over the event said that Rwf 10m is spent monthly in planting and protecting palm trees in the city.

She appealed to residents to be part of the environmental conservation campaign and respect traffic rules.
She observed that Kigali has registered success in protecting the environment, sanitation and hygiene, but, added that much more still needed to be done.

The event was also attended by Rose Mukankomeje, the Director General of Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA), Kigali City officials and city residents
The event organised by Kigali City, in conjunction with Rwanda National Police, is part of the ongoing celebrations to mark the force’s 10th anniversary.

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