NYAGATARE - Police in Nyagatare District have advised motorcyclists to acquire cycling permits to avoid breaching traffic laws. While meeting motorcyclists last Friday, the District Police Commander, Edward Kayitare, said out of 1,112 motorcyclists operating in the district, only 110 have permits. “Its good that you struggle to become self employed as the government wishes all Rwandans to be… but this should not be done contrary to the law. You should attend the cycling tests and be able get permits for safer operations,” he said. Yassin Mukarakasi, one of the motorcyclists appealed to police to simplify the procedure of getting permits, adding that police should not confiscate their motorcycles because many of them are servicing loans that they used to buy motor cycles. “We have loans that we are still repaying. The police should help us to get permits to enable us to continue operating otherwise some of us might not access money to pay back loans to the banks,” he said. According to Emmanuel Muhigi, the head of motorcyclists’ association in the district (ASSETAMORWA -Nyagatare), members owe banks about Rwf43.2 million. In response, the police commander promised that cycling tests will be organised in the district to enable those without permits to acquire them easily. Ends
