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‘Motards’ face rough ride as police crack down with fines, confiscations

Friday September 28 2012
motards

Motorcycle taxis, popularly known as motards on a Kigali street. Photo/ CYRIL NDEGEYA

Motorcycles, popularly known as motards, are fast, convenient and exciting, but they are also loud and dangerous.

Kigali police have intensified a crackdown on motorcycle taxis in the transport sector. The traffic police have within the past four months nabbed violators of traffic rules with motorcyclists being the main target.

About 80 per cent of road accidents are said to involve motorcyclists, an allegation the motorcyclists, also known as motards, strongly deny.

The motorcyclists say they are being used as scapegoats for a much bigger problem in the transport sector. “The police come up with any offence even when we have done nothing wrong. We are never at peace even though we are taxpayers,” said Gad Bucyana, a motard from Kisimenti.

Recovering from a wound on her chin caused by a motorcycle accident at Kacyiru in June, Christella Uwera said “Motards don’t have any idea about the rules of the road.”

“Motards are undisciplined and disorganised. I support the police crackdown,” said Viateur Nzabamwita, a security agent from Kicukiro.

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Many motorists who share the road with the motorcyclists fully support the punishments meted out to them by the traffic police.

“I would suggest the police prohibit motorcycles from using the Kigali roads,” said Michael Nzabahimana, a taxi driver from Kimironko.

Mr Nzabahimana said motorcyclists are the main cause of traffic jams and accidents in the city and must be dealt with severely.

“Motards don’t understand the importance of human lives,” said Dieudonné Bizimana, a motorist from Kisimenti-Kigali.

Will Rollason, an anthropology lecturer from Brunel University in the United Kingdom, recently presented the findings of a study he conducted on the role motards play in the transformation of Kigali and the problems they face daily.

Top on the list of problems they face is police harassment, which the motards describe as a major hassle, saying they are constantly paying fines. The motorcyclists lamented that their co-operatives are weak and not well managed. The motards are unable to access cheap loans through their co-operatives.

According to the study, many motorcyclists in Kigali lease their motorcycles for Rwf5,000 per day.

According to Dr Rollason’s findings, Kigali has about 9,000 motorcyclists and 75 per cent of them lease their motorcycles because they cannot afford to buy them.

A motard makes Rwf8,000 on average per day.

Despite being contributing members of society, motards are viewed as a source of chaos and confusion on city roads.

Motorcyclists complain that the police frequently confiscate their bikes for a month for the slightest mistake. Fines range from Rwf10,000 to Rwf25,000.

“The punishments are exaggerated,” said Bucyana, a motard from Kigali.

However, Chief Superintendent of Police Celestin Twahirwa denies the accusations of harassment. The commanding officer said that given that 80 per cent of accidents in Kigali are caused by motards the punishments will continue until the motorcyclists start obeying the traffic rules.

Commenting on Dr Rollason’s report, the vice mayor in charge of social affairs in Kigali, Hope Tumukunde, said despite the role motards play in building the economy, they must observe traffic rules.

“We cannot relax the rule when riders are causing about 80 per cent of accidents. I agree they contribute to the socio-economic development of Kigali but they must follow traffic rules and respect the safety of the lives of their passengers,” said Ms Tumukunde.

The vice mayor also dismissed allegations that the council is not doing anything to help them. Ms Tumukunde cited the Cojad microfinance company, launched four years ago to enable young entrepreneurs to access affordable funds, as a facility the motards can take advantage of.

Cetramorwa is a co-operative whose 1,500 members are motorcyclists. “We are very supportive to our motard members and currently we have given out 540 motorcycles and 17 cars on loan,” said Celestine Ntaganzwa, Cetramorwa’s president.