The tale of the driver’s permit

Did you know it takes about three days to obtain a Rwandan passport – from the time you deposit forms at the Immigration office to the day you pick up your passport? Did you know that it takes an average of six hours to register a business? (The third fastest country in the world).Well, I know I am stating the obvious but I broached the afore mentioned two because I am dumbfounded by the lengthy process to obtain a driver’s permit given how much pride we take in speed, efficiency and competence.I am not under the impression that it takes under six hours to get a driver’s permit anywhere in the world but I know we are still lagging behind and have room for improvement. Last week a frustrated friend recounted how he had lost an entire day of work (7a.m–4p.m) doing the driving test – and apparently he was lucky because some people have to budget two days just for the test and wait another two weeks to be placed on a list.As we shoot to become the ICT hub of the region, it’s about time we stopped operating like we are still in the Stone Age in some aspects. For starters, a testing centre at every sector would distribute the volume of test-takers meaning permit-testing and car registration can be done every weekday – this comes with the extra perk of creating jobs for thousands. At these test centres it would be effective if the provisional exam were a computerized exam that immediately shows the test-taker if the results are a pass or fail. On receiving a pass, an appointment online at the centre’s web portal could be made for the driving test at a later date. Upon passing the driving test, paying for and receiving a permit ought to be a seamless process on site. Et voilà! Rwandans can save their precious time and get back to economy-stimulating, let’s-reach-Vision 2020 kind of productivity.Upgrading the process is one side of the coin – the other side is the exam itself. Why is it still required of every driver to use a stick-shift, manual transmission car to pass the driving test for a permit? I suspect someone out there has a vested interest in ensuring that instructors of driving schools (auto-ecoles) stay employed; or better still, a concerted effort to keep the number of automobiles on the road in check. I am jesting of course, I have no idea why manual transmissions are required yet practical approaches like different categories on driver’s permits could be explored: the categories would mean different tests for both transmissions that would be indicated on the permit itself.Let’s be real, no adult in their right state of mind would attempt to drive a manual car on Kigali’s treacherous hills unless they know how to operate the vehicle; our roads do the work for traffic police.When all is said and done, let me use this opportunity to laud the men and women of the traffic police force for working tirelessly to keep us safe on the road. Have a great week folks!