The Inspector General of Police, Emmanuel Gasana, has stressed that e-Registration, the online registration system for driving licenses, was introduced to facilitate the public, reduce fraud and save time.

Gasana made the observation during a meeting with heads of driving schools at the force’s headquarters in Kacyiru.

The meeting aimed at ironing out differences that had arose between the national police and driving school associations following the former’s introduction of an online registration system for driving tests.

While the software is publicly acknowledged for its effectiveness, some driving schools regarded it as a hindrance to their business.

The associations had also requested to be vested with powers to conduct driving licence tests, which are currently handled by the traffic police.

"The software was introduced to facilitate Rwandans, the National Police as well as you. No one is required to pay any money to use the software,” Gasana told the driving school owners.

He requested them to improve their services and harmonise their training modules, which he said, would equip those seeking driving licences with the required knowledge.

The police chief said that an inspection team comprised of the national police, Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Agency (RURA) and representatives of driving school, would be set up to follow up on the application of standards in the schools.

 "We want to offer quick and better services to the public and so we have to ensure that driving schools are up to standard,” Gasana said, calling for regular communication between the stakeholders and police to ensure that issues are completely ironed out.

The Director General of RURA, Regis Gatarayiha, urged proprietors of driving schools to register with the regulatory body to acquire operating licences.

Emmanuel Twagirayezu, the Chairman of the associations of driving schools, decried that their businesses would be affected as the software was privately owned. 

About 120, 000 people have so far used the online registration system since its introduction in February this year. The system operates through mobile phones.

With the new system, only three police officers deal with the requests, a job that was done by 150 officers, deployed through-out the country.

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