Police have called on motorists within Kigali City to be accommodative of the traffic diversions put in place to facilitate the hosting of the African Union Summit.

The Summit, that runs up to July 18, is being held at Kigali Convention Centre (KCC).

A new four-lane bypass was built to ease traffic flow diverted from KCC.

More than 3,000 delegates are taking part in the Summit, with about 35 Heads of State and Government having confirmed their attendance.

In addition to the diversions, some routes have temporary been designated for one-way traffic.

The changes have prompted Police to urge motorists to plan for longer-than-usual commute times during the Summit period.

Speaking to The New Times, yesterday, Jean Marie Vianney Ndushabandi, the spokesperson for Traffic and Road Safety Department, called on motorists to use alternative routes to or from town, especially for commuters from the Kimironko, Kanombe, Kabeza and Remera area.

"For those coming, say from Kimironko, instead of using the Airport Road, they should consider using the Kibagabaga-Kacyiru route, while those from Remera, Kanombe or Kabeza can use the road via Rwandex,” Ndushabandi said.

"We have deployed our officers on these roads to give directions and advise on alternative routes where necessary.”

Police have also created a new Twitter handle, @RWTrafficUpdate, to provide regular updates on traffic flow as well as give tips on how best motorists can plan their journeys.

The most affected routes where drivers have experienced delays, diversions and backlog, especially during rush hour, include the KBC-Umubano via the Netherlands embassy, which has been made one-way, only used by those from town. 

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