WESTERN PROVINCE

RUBAVU — Police in Gisenyi has banned cyclists from operating in town. The ban comes as a measure to stop the escalating accidents in town.

The ban which took immediate effect recently restricts bicycle taxis to narrow feeder roads joining villages to the main road.

The decision was reportedly reached after realising that most accidents were attributed to cyclists, coming days after police impounded a number of bicycles in town.

”I do not remember the exact figures but the statistics indicate that most of the accidents including the recent one where a Mercedes Benz knocked a tree on the road side were caused by careless bicyclists. Such car accidents take place when drivers are trying to dodge cyclists who don’t know the road safety rules since one does not need traffic documents to begin cycling,” police said.

Police said they would continue monitoring to ensure there is no single bicycle operating from the main roads. However, cyclists who talked to The New Times described the decision as ‘very selfish meant to cause poverty.’

"This is a job we have done for many years and which has for long helped us provide essential needs such as food,” Suleiman Nzabandora said.

"What shall we do now after the ban?” he asked. He warned that the decision may force youth to resort to criminal tendencies as a way of seeking survival.

"There is no way bicycles can cause accidents in Gisenyi because we are never speedy. Our speed is always limited and controlled by the bad roads which are full of volcanic stones” Claude Muhawenayezu, another cyclist whose bicycle was impounded said.

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