A motor vehicle inspection facility will soon be opened up the Huye-based Integrated Polytechnic Regional Centre (IPRC-South), a move that is expected to bring services closer to motorists in the Southern Province.

According to officials, the facility, worth Rwf500 million, is expected to bring car control services closer to the people, reducing expenses, accident risks and time spent while seeking the services from Kigali.

The facility will also be a hub for skills development for IPRC-South, particularly hands-on skills in car inspection, according to a workshop attendant, Richard Kayihura.

It was set up by the Rwanda National Police and the Workforce Development Authority, and will be managed jointly by the two institutions.

"Lack of a car inspection workshop in this area has previously resulted in some motorists deciding to play hide and seek with the Police instead of driving to Kigali to have their cars inspected,” he said.

The workshop has two lanes and can simultaneously serve two cars of different weights. One section will serve cars with or below 3,500kg and the other those above 3,500kg.

Engineer Junior Niyonshuti, the estates manager at IPRC-South, said each section is equipped with inspection and control rooms, store, office block and a classroom and can serve about 90 cars per day.

He said it will serve nine districts in the Southern and Western provinces.

Niyonshuti said they will also set up a garage at the school so that a person can get services in the same place following recommendations from the inspection results.

The Police spokesperson, CSP Celestin Twahirwa, said decentralisation of car inspection services was aimed at curbing accidents that occurred because some motorists were reluctant to make long distances to seek inspection services.

He noted that another car inspection centre in Gishari, Southern Province, has started operations, while the capacity of the car inspection centre in Remera, Kigali City, was enhanced to three lanes to accommodate more vehicles.

"It is an on-going process; it is a long-term project because the aim is to help people not to make long journeys seeking the service,” he said.

Désiré Rukundo, a driver from Tumba Sector in Huye, said having a car inspection facility in the area will benefit drivers and passengers as it will reduce the expenses and possible accidents.

Besides the two facilities that are already functional, there are mobile inspection facilities that are periodically taken to upcountry districts to facilitate the process.

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