The City of Kigali, insurance companies and Rwanda National Police have signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at ensuring safety of citizens and infrastructure.

Under the agreement, the parties will partner to ensure safety of infrastructure, protect environment, sensitisation and training on road safety, rapid information sharing in case of accidents and fires in Kigali, among other terms.

Previously, it was difficult when only one organ is involved in prevention and mitigation of accidents or fires.

"The more Kigali grows and expands, not only was more infrastructure realised but also fires and accidents increase. We need to partner in prevention and mitigation and rapid rescue in case of accidents and fires,” Fidele Ndayisaba, the City of Kigali mayor said yesterday.  

Under the same deal, Kigali will construct new roads to reduce traffic jams, strengthen inspection on standards appliance for buildings, especially large buildings and support police acquire new road safety equipment. 

Ndayisaba said the City now does not let people start using their constructed houses without fulfilling fire prevention requirements. 

Police role 

The police, according to the pact, will reinforce road safety, increase the number of motor vehicle inspection centres, and sensitise people on role of insurance.

IGP Emmanuel Gasana noted that police play a significant role in the city’s growth and stressed the need to scale up such efforts.

Insurance companies will sensitise people on the role of insurance, and support the police in buying equipment to help ensure road safety.

The police, CoK and insurance firms will all help in the prevention and fighting fires. 

The president of Rwanda Insurers Association (ASAR), Jean Baptiste Ntukamazina said the agreement will benefit insurance companies, in that, when government organs engage in sensitisation on the role of insurance, people comply contrary to when it is done by insurers in business.

In a practice, for example, when a driver destroys a roadside palm tree he or she has to pay Rwf1 million and the insurer only pays a certain amount of money when it is evident that it was a genuine accident.

But when it is clear that destruction of palm tree was caused by drunk-driving, the driver pays all the amount because it is seen as a crime or personal responsibility, he said.

However, it is often difficult for the insurer to ascertain if the driver was drunk or not, he added.

"In such case, once this agreement is executed, the police, with enough equipment will expeditiously make it clear whether it is a personal responsibility or a crime, and this will help insurance companies deal with the suspect.”