20 Buses arrive to ease public transport challenges in Kigali

The City of Kigali on Friday received a fleet of 20 new state-of-the-art buses that will help reduce the shortage of public transport vehicles and ease movement especially during peak hours.

The new buses which belong to Jali Transport Company, an investment company of Rwanda Federation of Transport Cooperative (RFTC), were received on Friday by Dr. Merard Mpabwanamaguru, Kigali’s Vice-Mayor in Charge of Urbanisation and Infrastructure, businessman Col (Rtd) Dodo Twahirwa and other officials.

The buses are expected to address the persistent challenge of shortage of buses in the public transport sector. Dr. Mpabwanamaguru said that the new buses are a welcome addition to the already existing buses and will help to fill the gap as the government awaits for the arrival of more buses.

Dr. Merard Mpabwanamaguru, Vice Mayor in Charge of Urbanisation and Infrastructure.

Mpabwanamaguru, said the city’s public transport system had a deficit of 21,000 seats, but the newly introduced 20 buses will provide 1,400 seats.

Currently, the city has a total of slightly close to 15,000 public transport seats.

Mpabwanamaguru noted that the increase in the fleet will hekp make public transport quicker, as well as provide cheaper options.

Businessman Col (Rtd) Dodo Twahirwa.

Dodo Twahirwa, the the chief executive of Jali Transport, told the media that the buses cost about Rwf 3 billion in total.

Before the end of the year, according to the administration of the City of Kigali, another 100 buses are expected to be shipped in.

PM