Smart City, Smart people

YOU can never be sure of what next will come from City Hall but you can be sure of one thing; life will only get better in one of the cleanest and safest Cities on the continent that has attracted record superlatives from the world. Pothole free roads lined with palm trees that can cost a motorist an arm and a leg if knocked down, paved sidewalks, well lit streets and in the offing; fly-overs. Relocating the taxi park from the city centre has eased congestion. Passengers now have to walk to their health as they get to their different bus stages. Talk of killing two birds with one stone! The skyline is raising, the city looks like one big construction site, and it can only get better. The hospitality sector like the entertainment industry is vastly improved with security guaranteed. You can make money here and enjoy it here.The biggest concern has been and remains how to address the needs of the average city dweller that uses public transport. The long awaited construction of the main city taxi park is set to start soon and a new fleet of modern public transport buses is about to hit the streets of Kigali. But this is not all that is needed. Motorcycle transport, locally referred to as taxi-moto is arguably the most widely used mode of public transport by Kigali City dwellers and in the countryside. Taxi-moto service has bridged the gap that exists in the public transport system especially in the late night hours. However it is not all rosy. Taxi-moto transport remains the leading cause of accidents in the City. The Traffic Police is doing its best to ensure that city transport is a seamless procedure but one issue still remains; hygiene in the taxi-moto business. The latest from City Hall and Police is the Smart Cover Head, a timely answer to public outcry about the hygiene of helmets used in the taxi-moto transport.The use of helmets is now a culture for motorcycle transport users. As a proactive measure, authorities have gone a step further to make them user friendly with the introduction of Smart Head Covers. Beginning September 1, users of the arguably most popular means of public transport are required to be provided with a disposable Smart Head Cover that is worn before putting on the helmet. With this innovation, the days of using ‘sweaty’ helmet are over. Ardent motorcycle transport users will attest to the discomfort that comes with using a damp helmet, not to mention the health risks. The introduction of the head gear comes with responsibility. Taxi-moto users will now be required to do more. Apart from negotiating the fare, passengers will also be required to demand for the headgear because it is them that stand to lose. Enforcement will be vital. For sustainable use, the gear has to be available on the market and at reasonable cost. At Rwf50 each, taxi-moto operators are already complaining that the cost of the disposable headgear is prohibitive. Suppliers and operators need to come to an understanding on this matter as we add Smart Cover Head Gear. burkepal@gmail.com