Thousands stranded as notaries go for training

Several students registering for higher institutions of learning have missed deadlines due to the absence of notaries to notify their academic documents.For the last two weeks, long queues have been cited at the districts of Gasabo and Kicukiro.According to the people The New Times talked to, most of them students, at Gasabo District, yesterday, they woke up as early as 3am to have their documents notarised.“It is four days now. I have been running after this service, still I haven’t gotten my senior six academic certificate notified and now I don’t know what to do because the registration deadline was today (yesterday) at the National University (NUR),” one of the students said.“I have no idea if the university will extend the registration period because getting one’s papers notarised is difficult now,” another student said.Another person, who wanted his ‘bidding’ documents notarised had been in the queue since 5am. “I am losing out on a tender, the notary told me she can no longer take in any other person,” one John Habiyambere, a resident of Kinyinya, said.When this paper visited Kicukiro District offices, over 600 residents were waiting for the notary.Gasabo authorities said between 400 and 500 people meet the district’s notary; a number which, according to the district officials, is beyond one notary’s capacity. The notary, in a day, is at least required to serve 150 people.The problem came after the Rwanda Statistics Bureau requested the notaries at the sector level to attend training on the national census.Gasabo Mayor, Willy Ndizeye, requested those affected to bear with the situation until those undergoing training come back.