Police advises hotel managers on security

KIGALI - Rwanda National Police has urged proprietors of hospitality facilities like hotels, lodges, nightclubs and guesthouses, to improve security at their premises as a way of protecting their clients and their businesses. Speaking to over 80 managers yesterday, the Commissioner General of Police, Emmanuel Gasana, said that, if all hospitality facilities put in place security precautions like installing enough security lights and cameras as well as sensitizing their staff on security, protection of property and lives would be guaranteed. “People who have committed or want to commit crimes usually find safe havens in such places because they are secretive and conducive for their activities. Therefore, hotel owners and managers must prioritize security like searching suspicious persons or luggage,”Gasana urged them to also employ professional security officers who will have a collective responsibility to search, investigate and keep hotel records which can be revisited whenever a security threat comes up. “Hotel managers should share suspicious information with the police or other security organs. They should also be in position to allow random searching by the police. This way, they will be comfortably sure that their premises are safe,” During the meeting, the hotel managers and police agreed to conduct a training seminar on Saturday, aimed at coaching security personnel in technical skills and basic knowledge that will improve their approach towards their duty. In a related development, local travel agencies have increased public transport vehicles in Kigali city to curb overcrowding of passengers at bus terminals during rush hour. Among them are ONATRACOM, a government owned travel agency, which has ushered in six new buses ATRACO, a local association of commuter operators in the country which has added 50 buses on the streets. Jean Claude Rurangwa, the in charge of transport and telecommunication in Kigali city, confirmed this yesterday. City Mayor, Aisa Kirabo Kacyira has also relocated some commuter taxias which have been operating at the busy terminal, commonly known as Kwa Rubangura to other stages. In a press statement issued by the Mayor, all commuters on Kinamba, Gisozi, Kagugu, Kacyiru and Kinyinya routes have been relocated to ETO Muhima whereas commuters heading to Nyabugogo, Kimisagara, Gatsata and Karuruma have been relocated to SULFO. The new security measures also requires all passengers to line up at terminals according to their arrival to help commuter guides to allocate vehicles to where there is big number of passengers. Ends