EDITOR,

Through your paper, I would like to send a message to the Rwanda National Police, in particular, the Traffic Police.

As I was leaving my home on Sunday morning to run some errands, I was shocked to find part of the road blocked and a policeman manning the blocked area.  I later realized that the Kigali marathon was going on, and the police was making sure that the athletes had free rein.

While I appreciate the role of the police in overseeing the safety of the runners, I believe that it is also important that they inform motorists of the available alternative routes.

At the RDB intersection, motorists had surrounded the traffic policeman and were exchanging insults with the officer.

All this could have been avoided, if at the marathon planning stage, they had considered alternative routes for motorists to use while the roads are blocked.

In addition to that, it is always important to communicate to the public, prior to any changes in road use. That way, motorists can plan their movements accordingly.

I am sure that many events will require changes in traffic and the public will always be happy to cooperate as long as adjustments are communicated well in advance.

Chantal Murerwa,
Gishushu