Charges for non-existent internet in public buses raise debate in Parliament

Members of Parliament have raised concerns about the fees charged for non-existent internet in public buses and have recommended an immediate halt to these charges, and requested Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority (RURA) to urgently address the issue. This was raised on November 1, as Members of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) presented a report and resolutions made after scrutinising the Auditor General Report for 2021/2022. ALSO READ: 4G internet returns on public buses; will it work? The internet connection was introduced in buses in 2015 as part of the broad Smart Kigali Initiative. In the following years, the project flopped after the government stopped the then service provider after a series of complaints from people who experienced years of poor service. ALSO READ: Why 4G LTE internet provider in public buses was suspended “In Kigali City, there are concerns over Rwf417 million paid by commuters for the internet in public buses but they never accessed it. There is no internet in many public buses,” said Beline Uwineza, PAC vice-chairperson. MP Safari Theoneste Begumisa suggested that fees charged on idle internet be immediately stopped. “Why does RURA charge passengers fees for the internet in buses which they do not get? This should stop immediately. We can’t wait for such months. There is also a violation of rights,” he said. ALSO READ: What does the roll out of wireless internet in public transport mean? Other issues in public transport raised Other issues in public transport that need urgent action are the shortage of buses and poor management of bus routes in Kigali City and upcountry. The Auditor General report shows that RURA did not conduct regular and comprehensive transport needs assessments to establish existing market demand and supply of public bus services. As a result, it was not able to make informed decisions that respond to passengers’ needs. ALSO READ: Kigali needs over 500 buses to address public transport woes “The assessment should analyse both existing and new routes, the number of passengers, bus capacity requirements, and the performance of current operators to establish the number of buses needed on different routes,” Auditor General said. This is illustrated by a decrease in the number of bus seats in the City of Kigali from 22,238 seats in 2015 to 19,961 seats in 2022, resulting in a reduction of 2,277 seats. This reduction is attributed to a decrease in the number of buses and resulted in long queues at bus parks and stops. “RURA should regularly assess and monitor market changes to ensure that the demand for public transport across the country is met in a timely manner. “There is also the issue of 9.8 per cent of fares that is charged on Yego Moto metres yet it is not clear what was based on to calculate the amount. There are also issues in e-ticketing. There is an issue of 5 per cent charged on e-ticketing turnover by public transport companies yet it is not clear what was based on to charge it,” Uwineza said.

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Charges for non-existent internet in public buses raise debate in Parliament