Transport operators in Musanze protest high parking fees

Transport operators plying the Kigali-Musanze-Rubavu route have raised complaints that the cost of parking in Musanze Taxi Park is hurting their business.The Rwanda Federation of Transport Cooperative (RFTC), the association tasked with regulating operations of the members, charges Rwf3,000 per vehicle per day.The transporters said Rwanda Utility Regulatory Authority (Rura) also charges the same amount per day for buses in all taxi parks.On Tuesday, transport agencies protested and refused to work, leaving many passengers stranded.The only vehicles that operated were the small minibuses, popularly called Twegerane, which are not subjected to the fees.Four transport agencies operate on the Kigali-Musanze-Rubavu route using Musanze Park as one of the parking stations.They include Vurunga Express, Kigali Safari, Kigali Coach and Belvedere Lines. More than 80 buses ply the route daily.Multiple chargesTransport operators say they are being subjected to multiple payments by paying in Musanze Taxi Park and other parks in Kigali or Rubavu.They said the problem was that despite the fact that Rura has fixed the parking fee at national level there is lack of coordination between Rura and taxi park owners in terms of payment. The transporters are demanding that Rwf3,000 caters for all the parks. Bonaventure Niyitegeka, the owner of Virunga Express Company, said it is a serious problem that need urgent redress.“Rura has set Rwf3,000 daily parking fees, which apply to all taxi parks. What we want as business people is for the regulator to revise this, otherwise we will close our business,” said Niyitegeka.Other transport operators urged Rura to talk to taxi park owners on how the fixed amount of Rwf3,000 should be shared by all agencies.However, Deo Muvunyi, the Rura director of road transport regulations, said the charges were fixed after consultations with proprietors of transport agencies.He, however, said Rura would meet with park owners and transport operators to resolve the impasse.“Taxi parks are owned by different people but we need a common understanding on the parking fee, we want business environment that is favourable to all,” Muvunyi said.A meeting convened by the Governor Northern Province, Aime Bosenibamwe, with all the parties resolved that the transporters should continue working as the regulator seeks to address their concerns.Noting that transport issue affects all people, Governor Bosenibamwe urged Rura to find an urgent solution.

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Transport operators in Musanze protest high parking fees