The Rwanda National Police (RNP) Traffic and Road Safety (TRS) department, on Thursday, June 17, started a week-long awareness on Covid-19 prevention measures to road users to supplement the national efforts against the pandemic.
Police officers took to the streets of Kigali as they educated drivers, taxi-moto operators, passengers and pedestrians on the health guidelines and government directives in a move aimed at influencing behavioral change and positive practices to prevent the spread of the virus.
Officers also inspected taxi-moto operators and public service vehicles if they are abiding by the safety directives including wearing of facemasks, if they have hand sanitizers to be used by passengers before boarding, social distancing in commuter buses and private vehicles.
Pedestrians were also reminded to be responsible and ensure that they are given hand sanitizer and wear fabrics in helmets before boarding a taxi-moto as well as social distancing at bus parks and stations.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Teddy Ruyenzi, the Deputy Commissioner for TRS in charge of Administration said that the awareness is part of the RNP enforcement measures for all road users to understand what is required of them in the implementation of the safety directives.
“The current situation which has seen a new wave of Covid-19 infections necessitates using all means available to change people’s behaviours to adhere to the government directives to prevent the spread. We all understand that the virus is spread during movements, so don’t be the one to spread it by adhering to all health measures and that is the purpose of this outreach,” said ACP Ruyenzi.
She added: “We are educating them about the government directives but also checking if they are respected; like proper wearing of face mask, the required 50 percent maximum capacity for public buses. Any motorist, who undermines the government directives will be fined Frw25, 000 and the automobile impounded for five days.”
Emmanuel Ngendahimana, a pedestrian said that individual responsibility is key to combating the pandemic.
“We were told what we should do to keep ourselves safe such wearing face mask properly at all times we are in public places, observing physical distancing, avoiding unnecessary movements and social events. It is now our responsibility to keep ourselves safe by respecting these health guidelines,” said Ngendahimana.
Ildephonse Ngarambe, a bus driver said that before transporting passengers, he checks whether they are all respecting Covid-19 prevention measures; wearing facemasks properly and respecting social distancing and that any passenger, who fails to respect these safety practices is told to get out of the bus.(End)