Taxi-moto riders in Kigali have pointed out several challenges they face in their daily operations. These concerns, primarily causing mental stress and anxiety, have contributed to road accidents, the commercial motorcyclists said.

The issues were highlighted after meeting organized by Rwanda National Police, on September 4, which aimed to assess the effectiveness of ongoing road safety campaigns.

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According to the Rwanda Federation of Taxi-Moto (RFTM), there are about 46,000 moto-taxi riders registered in the country, with 26,000 of them operating in Kigali.

The motorcyclists emphasized the following critical issues:

1. High insurance premiums

One of the primary grievances raised by Michel Gasana, a taxi-moto rider based in Kimironko, is the increasing cost of insurance. This rise is attributed to the dissolution and restructuring of taxi-moto cooperatives.

Gasana explained that over the past two years, they expressed concerns about the mismanagement of cooperatives, which led to their dissolution.

"We hoped this would improve our working conditions, but the situation has worsened. The insurance premiums are high -- at Rwf250,000 per motorcycle [which is more than five years old]. Despite approaching other insurance companies for better rates, motorcyclists have been consistently turned away,” he added.

In 2021 Radiant Insurance Company told The New Times that the annual insurance premium increased from Rwf61,666 to Rwf153,280 for a motorcycle that was manufactured five years ago or less.

Motorcycles manufactured six to 10 years ago pay an insurance premium of Rwf166,220, up from Rwf61,666 while those that were made more than 10 years ago pay Rwf180,160.

Currently, insurance premiums annually are Rwf140,000 for electric bikes, Rwf190,000 for non-electric bikes (powered by petrol or diesel) and Rwf250,000 for non-electric bikes above 5 years.

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2. Shortage of parking stations

The lack of designated parking stations was another pressing issue raised by Gilbert Karemera, a Kanombe resident, highlighting that the shortage has led to fines for motorcyclists who are forced to park in unauthorized areas.

"When you drop off a passenger far from a designated parking station, you have no choice but to park near their destination. This often results in fines, despite the absence of alternative parking spaces. Passengers also refuse to pay if they feel inconvenienced by the distance from a parking station. We urgently need more parking stations across the city,” he said.

3. Insufficient distribution of jackets

Registered riders are facing challenges due to the insufficient distribution of jackets, which impacts their identification and day-to-day operations.

As noted, when they registered with the new cooperatives, they were always promised membership jackets.

However, they only received one jacket, which they say they are expected to wear for years without any replacements. This has made their work difficult, as jackets serve as a key identifier for registered motorcyclists.

4. Disorganization on roads due to unregistered riders

The presence of unregistered motorcyclists on the roads has led to considerable disorganization and is believed to contribute to road accidents, with many of these riders operating without a valid driver&039;s license.

"Unregistered riders are responsible for numerous accidents and have tarnished the reputation of professional motorcyclists. Some of them lack proper training, giving our profession a negative image. It feels as though the efforts we invested in establishing cooperatives have been in vain, as both registered and unregistered riders continue to operate alongside each other,” said Eugene Ntakirutimana, a rider operating primarily in Nyabugogo.

5. Inactive cooperatives

Many motorcyclists have expressed dissatisfaction with the newly established cooperatives, criticizing their failure to address critical issues.

"We were promised that these cooperatives would help solve our problems and advocate for us, but instead, they have created more challenges than they have resolved. It's been two years since their formation, and not a single members' meeting has been held. Cooperatives are supposed to address members' concerns through regular discussions, but that hasn't happened," said Belchmas Bavugiriza, a resident of Gatsata.

We raised several issues, and they initially promised solutions, but after securing members, their concern vanished. It's disheartening to see others progress through cooperatives while we lag behind, said Bavugiriza.

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6. Unexplained fines

Confusion over the regulations regarding the transportation of passengers with luggage remains a significant issue for motorcyclists. While current rules prohibit the carrying of large luggage alongside passengers, there is widespread uncertainty about the permissible weight limits.

Riders have frequently reported being fined for carrying passengers with bags, despite the lack of clear guidelines on the maximum allowable weight.

"We’ve been penalized multiple times for carrying both passengers and their belongings, but there’s no official limit set. We need clear regulations to avoid these constant fines," Jack Murabaka expressed, emphasizing the need for clearer communication and enforcement of the rules.

"Recently, I was fined despite being at home on my day off. Currently, we only receive notifications via phone to make such payments and there is nowhere I can seek explanations.”

7. Complications in motorcycle resale

Motorcycle owners who have sold their bikes are encountering a significant problem, despite completing their sales, they are often contacted by authorities multiple times about another transaction that the new owner might need to sell the same old bike. Sellers are left confused and frustrated as they receive repeated notifications and calls from officials, even though they have already finalized the sale.

"The repeated calls for transactions that have already been completed reveal a troubling flaw in the motorcycle resale process. This oversight highlights the need for a more streamlined and reliable system to ensure that sellers are not unfairly burdened by administrative errors, because sometimes we find ourselves in issues that we are not aware of,” said Daniel Kamali who operates in Kabuga.

8. Inconsistencies between speed cameras and traffic signs

Another issue brought to light was the inconsistency between speed limits indicated on traffic signs and the speeds monitored by cameras.

Riders noted that in certain areas, for example, traffic signs indicate a speed limit of 80 km/h, but the speed cameras are set to fine anyone exceeding 60 km/h. As a result, a person who is still within the speed limit on the road signs can be fined by the camera.

"These inconsistencies need to be addressed to avoid unnecessary fines,” said Emile Habimana.