The bigger picture of the Nyabugogo Taxi Park repairs

Kigali is blessed with one of the least troublesome traffic systems in the region. The occasional traffic hold ups in the city centre are nothing compared to what happens in Nairobi, Dar es Salaam or Kampala. In those other cities the proverbial rush hour can last the whole day particularly during the weekdays! For all of Kigali’s orderliness as far as the transport system is concerned, the poor state of the main taxi park at Nyabugogo always stood out like a sore thumb. The place has become known for the dust during the dry season and mud when it rains. As if that is not enough, there is a broken sewage system that keeps the park constantly wet with filth. By the time of writing this, major repairs to give the taxi park a new look were underway. However the big question that I have always had on my mind was why it was taking the park authorities so long to fix the place. The rainy season always served to amplify the need for this place to be fixed. Interestingly, many people do not realise that Nyabugogo is often the first major stop for the hundreds of travellers who come here aboard the interstate buses from Kampala, Nairobi, Dar es Salaam, Bujumbura or Goma. Just like the airport at Kanombe, Nyabugogo deserves to have a huge billboard welcoming people to Rwanda or Kigali. The poor state of this taxi park has mainly served to etch a regrettable first impression on the minds of visitors to this country. I remember a year ago when my friend Bob came here from Kampala. When I went to pick him up from the bus, he wondered whether he was indeed in Kigali. “Allan, we are always told that Kigali is sparkling clean, how come this place is dusty and full of potholes?” he asked. Now that something is being done, I hope this sick part of Kigali will emerge with a better reputation. Its importance as a transport hub for people travelling to other parts of the country and the East African region in general is very crucial. Talking about East Africa, the repairs at the taxi park ought to include an expansion of the international section that is reserved for the buses travelling outside Rwanda. Over time the number of buses has risen steadily, making the gazetted space inadequate and forcing some of them to be parked outside and along the exit route. With the East African Common Market likely to result in surge of people travelling to or through Kigali from the neighbouring countries, there must be a comprehensive plan for these buses which will certainly keep increasing. The plan could require them to have their own packing areas as it’s done in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. It is also high time ATRACO got its house in order. Whatever happened to the uniforms that the taxi operators were supposed to wear? The levels of discipline among the taxi operators have also reached an all time low. Loading of excess passengers and offloading of passengers at fuel stations have all become too common. You must also agree that the numerous underemployed youths who pretend to direct passengers to the taxis (touts) are nothing but a nuisance. These guys are so disrespectful and on a bad day they will practically force a person into a taxi even when the person was just passing by. When all the repair work is complete, Kigali should have a more presentable taxi park that fits in the greater picture of a clean and organised city. The persistent problem of the drainage system needs to be fixed once and for all. The operations of the taxis and buses should also take on a degree of efficiency that handles passengers with respect deserving of a customer. I hope the big shots at ATRACO will take heed. City planners should also take time and think about the relationship that the taxi park has with the traffic flow of the roads in the vicinity. Traffic often gets clogged up as taxis make their way to the taxi park blocking oncoming traffic in the process. The above situation is made worse by the existence of a total of five fuel stations located next the taxi park! With cars driving in and out into the main road, the traffic maze becomes inevitable. In case of a fire, it becomes close to impossible to save the whole area from being engulfed in flames. Like other monumental areas of this city, visitors should be able to leave with a positive impression of Kigali just by travelling through the taxi park. It is common to hear well travelled people talking about airports, train stations or bus stations. Lets get them talking about our Nyabugogo. ssenyonga@gmail.com