Kigali, 12/01/2020:The Catholic Church has joined Rwanda National Police (RNP) in Gerayo-Amahoro, a campaign launched on 13 May 2019 with the aim to educate Rwandans on safer road usage to prevent fatalities mainly caused by reckless human behavior. The partnership was launched as the awareness campaign was conducted in all Catholic churches across the country during the Sunday’s mass.

While addressing the congregation at Saint-Michel Cathedral in Kigali, the Police Spokesperson, Commissioner of Police (CP) John Bosco Kabera, said that the partnership will further impact on lives of people on roads. He said that Police and the church are responsible for the lives of people, ensuring peace and togetherness. It is very important that the Catholic Church has joined Police to drive this agenda, this will encourage other stakeholders to support the implementation of this campaign.

“Every year, we register over 5,000 road accidents which kill more than 500 people, over 2,000 survive with serious injuries and 4, 000 with minor injuries; more than 3,000 properties are destroyed and over Rwf20 billion spent in compensation. 80 percent of these accidents are caused by human behaviors, meaning they are avoidable,” said CP Kabera.

According to the traffic police policy, pedestrians uses the left side of the road facing oncoming traffic; use designated areas when crossing; look left and right before crossing and ensure that motorists have given the right of way. The policy also condemns the use of phones when driving, reckless crossing of the road; drunk-driving or riding; speeding; and violating pedestrian cross-walks as some of the human behaviors causing fatal accidents.

Similarly, the issue of overtaking in wrong sides of the road has increased road accidents. Most motorists overtake on the right side of the road especially on the two-lane-same-direction road, because cars ahead are driving on the left, which is not acceptable. The policy recommends keeping right when driving.

The Police spokesperson also cautioned passengers who put their transporters especially motorcyclists under pressure to speed and sometimes don’t wear a helmet. “Wear a helmet because it’s your life when an accident occurs; hold a minor by hand when on road; don’t drive when children are standing, playing in the car, with the head or hand out of the window. “He added.

Father Innocent Consolateur, Saint-Michel Parish Priest said that peace and safety is a gift from God. “When you have peace and love you wish the same and respect others. “Respecting other people on road is protecting God’s souls and we are happy to partner with the Police to protect God’s people.”

Gerayo Amahoro, which is now in its 35th week, is designed to reach out to all categories of road users in 52 weeks to influence safer road usage. Pedestrians were majority of the victims of road accidents last year with 223 fatalities, 184 motorcyclists and 130 cyclists. 

According to World Health Organization (WHO) report, over 1.3 million people die in road accidents every year globally, with children aged between 5 and 14 accounting for the majority victims.