As part of the process to rectify problems within the traffic police unit, government is working on a plan to increase the number of Technical Automobile Control Centres from the existing two to seven,k according to the Minister for Internal security, Musa Fazil Harerimana.

Harerimana told members of the Senate last week that the government was expanding current centres to create space that would accommodate an extra five lines from the current two.

Harerimana was appearing before the Senate for the second time to shed some light on the questions raised after last year’s report that criticised the traffic police unit.

He was asked to explain what the government was doing to boost the capacity of these centres to speed up the inspection process and trim down the time lost by the vehicle owners who spend a lot of time on waiting lists.

"The procedures and tenders to set up the additional lines have already started and so far, Gasabo district has already provided land where the expansion will take place,” he said.

Upon completion of the construction of the additional centres, Harerimana says that the vehicle inspection capacity will increase by almost threefold.

"By having these additional centres, the number of cars inspected per day will increase from the current 120 to around 420. We are also already training the staff who will work in the new centres on several issues including customer care,” he said

However, Senator Rwigamba Balinda was concerned that the centres would all be based in Kigali, which he said would be a disadvantage for those who live upcountry.

"I suggest that people who own cars and live far should not be subjected to long journeys but instead, the authorities should look for a plan that will provide central locations where the inspections can be done without necessarily coming to Kigali,” he said.

However, Harerimana assured him that plans to procure a mobile vehicle inspection station are underway, saying that funds for this  are readily available.

"We already have the money for a mobile vehicle inspection station and we are preparing tender documents and once in place, this car will be used to inspec vehicles from different parts of the country as we await the launch of more centres countrywide,” he said.

Harerimana’s appearance before the Senate follows that of last year where he was invited to discuss the same issue but had left without satisfying the legislators.

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