The City of Kigali cautioned road users against dirtening roads.
The City of Kigali has triggered a massive debate after it issued directives that require motorists to ensure that their car tyres are clean before they join city main roads, to ensure that they don’t soil them but the guidelines triggered mixed reactions.
The directives also require owners of construction sites in the city to ensure that trucks that enter or exit the site don’t dirten the roads, urging the general public to report cases of people soiling the transport infrastructure.
“The City of Kigali reminds everyone that it is forbidden to litter the streets. This applies to individual owners of construction sites where vehicles leave or enter excavation sites, mines and other places. Cars must have their tires cleaned when they are about to enter the main road,” CoK tweeted.
City authorities further reiterated that vehicles that carry soil, sand or other pollutants on the road must be properly covered and protected from spilling it on the road. They further added that those caught polluting the roads will be punished according to Law No. 48/2018 of 13/08/2018 Regulating the Environment.
Such acts are punishable.
Authorities said the move is to ensure responsibility by motorists to keep the roads clean but the guidelines were met with mixed reactions, with many accusing City Hall of disregarding the fact that many still live in areas and neighbourhoods which are yet to have paved roads.
However, many supported the decision, stating that it will ensure that roads will be kept clean, especially in a city where there are many ongoing construction projects.
Residents of neighbourhoods like Gasogi and Masizi, in Gasabo district, Gahanga and Karembure in Kicukiro district, Mageragere and other flourishing neighbourhoods, accused the city of disregarding their plight, urging authorities to instead focus on building more neighbourhood roads, especially in areas known to be muddy.
CoK cautioned both individual drivers and commercial trucks.
Many people inquired how that is practically possible, especially in the rainy season, when the roads in some of the said places are muddy and in bad shape.
However, proponents of the directives, such as writer and commentator Gatete Ruhumuliza Nyiringabo, the city guidelines are on point and show respect to the women and men who wake up to clean the roads and ensure that they are in good shape.
Gatete said that the majority of those criticizing the city are not providing a solution or coming up with business ideas such as building washing bays at neighbourhood exits where cars with mud mostly emerge from.
However, some people like Leonne Laura Uwizihiwe and Fiona Kamikazi Rutagengwa, asked what happens if the cars are coming from unfinished roads, which are still on City of Kigali’s pending list of roads to be completed. Many urged the city to focus on building more roads, particularly paving those that get muddy when it rains.
Umujyi wa Kigali uributsa abantu bose ko bibujijwe kwanduza umuhanda. Ibyo bireba:
✅Umuntu ku giti cye;
✅Abafite ibikorwa by'ubwubatsi aho imodoka ziva cyangwa zinjira kuri 'chantier', ibirombe n'ahandi;Imodoka zigomba gusukurwa amapine igihe zigiye kwinjira muri kaburimbo. pic.twitter.com/OWsDuPIifV
— City of Kigali (@CityofKigali) April 17, 2024
However, an a subsequent tweet on April 18, City of Kigali said it welcomed the feedback of the residents and reiterated that they message largely concerns big trucks and construction sites.
“We appreciated the feedback received. We recognised that all of us are hygienically conscious. The message largely concerns trucks that carry sand, soil and other construction materials, exceeding the expected tonnage, leading to spill overs on the roads,” the city tweeted.
Turabashimira ibitekerezo mwatanze, byatweretse ko gahunda y'isuku muyishyigikiye. Ubutumwa twatanze bureba cyane cyane imodoka zikora mu bwubatsi zitwara igitaka, imicanga n'ibindi zikarenza ibyo zemerewe gutwara bikagenda bimeneka mu muhanda bikawanduza.#IsukuHose pic.twitter.com/3v1w5I1dBW
— City of Kigali (@CityofKigali) April 18, 2024
