•Members urged to learn more languages

An association of motorcycle taxi operators (ASSETAMORWA) in Kigali will transform into a cooperative in the next three months.

The development was disclosed mid this week by the newly elected president of the association Diedonne Nteziyaremye in a meeting at Kana conference hall at Saint Famille.

Addressing leaders and members of the association from all the eight zones, Nteziyaremye assured them that the association meets all the requirements to become a cooperative.

"It’s time we moved from one step to another for the better of our organization”, he said explaining further how beneficial forming a cooperative will be to its members.

He also decried some corrupt tendencies reportedly exhibited by the motor cyclists.

 "I know and I have been given the information that you (motorists) pay a sum of between Rwf 2000 and 3000 to the association officials as bribe to let you go whenever you break some rules,” he said.

"Rwanda has zero tolerance for corruption”, he emphasized.
Nteziyaremye advised members of ASSETAMORWA to spare some time to join English and Swahili training centers, adding that they should move with the speed at which the country is developing, advising them to learn more languages in addition to Kinyarwanda.

"We are now in the East African Community. People from other countries will need to move in the country and business activities will boom. How will you communicate when you do not know English or Swahili ...?”he asked.

Among the problems raised was lack of enough parking spaces in the city, intimidation by the association officers when not putting on their uniforms and some who allow their moto cycles to operate with out fulfilling the required standards.

They also mentioned that their most pressing concern were thefts of their motorcycles in areas like Muhima and Nyamirambo in the evening.

Community Laison Officer Nyarugenge sector Amos Ndayambaje who represented police in the meeting, blamed the cases of theft on some of them abandoning their motorcycles and go to bars.

He advised them to be careful and to take legal procedures whenever their motor-cycles are stolen.

Ends