The Traffic and Road Safety department of the Rwanda National Police (RNP) has started the renewal of expired driver licence.

In a statement, released yesterday, the Traffic Police said the renewal would start with immediate effect at the fee not exceeding Rwf5,000.

According to the statement, the move follows a Ministerial Order determining the validity and requirements for renewal of the national driver licence.

Under the Ministerial Order, driver licence validity is maintained at five years.

"Rwanda National Police urges anyone with expired driver licence to immediately commence the renewal process,” reads part of the statement.

Police dismissed as rumours earlier claims indicating that driver licence renewal fee was raised to Rwf50,000.

Traffic Police also informed the public that renewal process can be done using short messaging services (sms) for MTN network users, while other telecom subscribers can follow the ordinary channels of renewal applications.

For those seeking to use the SMS go to compose new message, write letter "R”, leave a space, write national identification number, leave a space, write the district where you will collect renewed driver licence from, leave a space, and write the RRA receipt number.

The message is then sent to 3126.

The new system, members of the public say, would help reduce bureaucracy and delays in issuance process.

The announcement comes as relief to many licence holders whose permits had expired, at least according to Chantal Nuwamanya, a Kigali resident who unsuccessfully tried to renew her permit last year.

The new process will help reduce queues at the Traffic Police offices, she said.

Since 2009, the government started the issuance of the new plastic registered driver licence with five year validity, which, according to the 2002 Presidential Decree, would have expired in February last year.

But Police extended validation period until further notice pending new validity instructions and renewal fee.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw