KIGALI NOTES: Kigali’s rising commuter business becomes a nightmare to traffic officer

One of the finer little things about living in an inner city neighbourhood like Nyamirambo is that on a good day as you are chauffeured in a cramped “American” painted Twegerane, one of your favourite songs will be played. But this is if you are a teenager or listen to teenage music with all its accompaniments like monstrous volume, sang by the likes of Lil’ Wayne and is dubbed by one of Kigali’s wannabe mix of DJ’s which means you are not quite sure if it is the DJ telling you some nonsense or the nonsense is actually coming from the singer. So while you listen to the song, there are several reactions, first the song might be one of your favourites in which case you sing along and nod your head. A good feeling to start a day with. However, the volume on which the taxi driver plays it could cause you an early stomach upset-even if you never had any breakfast-or make you feel like you want to jump onto the driver, punch the hell out of his teenage head along with his conductor. Or better still, just switch off from the place into space-and this explains the increasing use of gadgets like ear-phones connected to I.pods or music phones in most public places in Kigali today. But you are not the only one with anger at this time of the day. Most drivers are in a constant state of anger in our city, there are a variety of reasons, stemming from the utter lack of planning of the road network when that city started its sojourn 100 years ago, or the fact the city centre actually has nothing taking place in it, apart from banks and UTC. Most commuters pass through to other suburbs for work and shopping which means it is just a traffic terminal. The passengers-either because we speak the same language-are in a constant ‘high pitch talk’-and the taxi drivers are playing that extremely loud music, the mix up of these in most cases could make Hillywwod directors slap themselves for not staging big brother like street cameras to capture real stuff. This is our new Kigali. The city centre is abuzz with a new life. There’s activity and more activity, during the rush hour, ‘Kwa’Rubangura is so busy and noisy that you have to sympathize with Kigali’s graceful walkers. The city belles who spend a big chunk of their time making up just to appear beautiful and cause another jam as heads and comments turns in their direction. Their elegant strides mixed with the bustle and hustle of the fast lane of taxis as those of Nyamirambo make a good case for our Kigali. Ever appearing to be full of action, the Rwandan Police has deployed traffic police officers to ensure some stability and sanity at Kwa’Rubangura and create harmony between commuters and bus drivers. One of their most recent emissaries to create this order is a traffic officer known as ‘Generali’ named so by Kigali Notes Senior Correspondent Majukumu Sikiofupi for security purposes. But there’s none to consider since Generali is reeling from a vicious attack by some drivers he is said to have tortured with regular ‘senkanti’ fines. Even the passengers side with drivers in their war against ‘Generali’. The story goes that after suffering from Generali’s constant and eagle eye for punishing traffic offenders, some drivers decided to take judicial action, they bought a sim card and used it only once to call the officer. The drivers posed as his colleagues inviting him for a drink into town. When Generali showed up-he was called for the meet from his day off duty-and the drivers gave him the beating of his life. They dropped him for dead after ensuring he could not remember their identities and with no strength for revenge. The officer is now recovering from his occupational hazards and the drivers are now happy with the beginning of the year.Sikiofupi met with some of the bus conductors at Rubanguara and presents their views on the state of affairs at Rubangura;Machokali: The city belongs to us all but Generali punishes us like he knows more about traffic than me. Look at me, i began working in this place even before he went to school to learn about traffic, i have kids to feed and he he has to fork out senkanti from me, once twice a day? I have no sympathizes with him. Carradine: By the time Generali comes back on our streets he would have known better how to deal with watu kama sisi, and should he again resume his fines, we shall report him to higher authorities as a hindrance to achieving venti venti. Can he not see that we have more buses and commuters all hurrying to fulfill that vision? Rambo: Am not in the business of intimidating police officers like you Carradine, especially if they are called Generali, the man is doing his job and instead of celebrating his misery we should organize a visit with him to show we are not only capable of beating, we can also care. Ends