Rwanda National Police (RNP) and Airtel Rwanda have rolled out a joint countrywide awareness on safer road usage to prevent accidents in this festive month. The launch was held simultaneously, on Wednesday, in all bus stations across the country. It comes in the 30th week of the year-long ‘Gerayo Amahoro’ campaign launched in May to reach out and influence safer choices by all categories of road users. Commissioner of Police (CP) John Bosco Kabera, Commissioner for Public Relations and Media in RNP, while addressing drivers, passengers and pedestrians in Nyabugogo bus terminal in Kigali, said that safety on road should be an individual choice and collective responsibility to report any reckless motorist. “We are in the festive month when we witness increased movements of vehicles and people, a period when accidents tend to be high. We call for responsive driving; regulating your speed, no use of phone when on the wheel, don’t drive under stress or when drunk,” CP Kabera said. Statistics indicate that road accidents reduced by 27 percent since the launch of Gerayo Amahoro campaign in May, compared to the same period last year. “As passengers, don’t allow to be driven like luggage, be in charge; call the Police to prevent loss of lives instead of dealing with the consequences,” said CP Kabera. Police also provided contacts to call to report dangerous driving and traffic violations. They include 112, 113 and 0788311110, o788311012 and 0788311155. Kabera also urge pedestrians to use the road safely; use the left side of the road when walking, avoid using a phone when crossing the road, look left, right and left before crossing. Airtel-Rwanda managing director, Amit Chawla said that partnership with the RNP is part of its social cause to save lives. “It is a matter of pride to come together for the safety of the people. This is inclusive social cause to ensure that people follow traffic rules and to use our communication channels to prevent accidents and make people safe on roads,” Amit said. The campaign saw officials from RNP, Airtel Rwanda, RURA and heads of public transport agencies going from vehicle to vehicle educating passengers on their rights and roles in preventing road carnage.
