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Kinyarwanda
Police in Gicumbi District has seized 145 cartons (29, 000 pieces) of banned non-biodegradable plastic bags. They were seized in a police operation conducted Tuesday in Cyumba Sector.
Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Alexis Rugigana, the Police spokesperson for the Northern region, said that the plastic bags were seized from four women traders identified as Solange Mukamusoni, 35, Claudine Kubwimuka, 25, Alphonsine Muhawenimana, 46, and Asterie Tumwesigwa, 53.
“They were at the time trying to board a public vehicle at Kabura trading centre in Gatuna to Kigali,” CIP Rugigana said.
He added: “They had concealed the polythene bags underneath the clothes they were wearing which made them seem abnormal and suspicious. When Police officers searched them they recovered 30 cartons from Mukamusoni, 25 from Kubwimuka, 50 from Muhawenimana and 40 from Tumwesigwa.”
CIP Rugigana warned against anyone who traffics, sells and packages goods in plastic bags.
“We caution anyone, who in anyway, attempts to deal in polythene bags...it is illegal and punishable by law.” Manufacturing, selling and using polythene bags were outlawed in Rwanda in 2008.
He advised the public to use alternative packaging bags which are eco-friendly.
The manufacturing, use, importation or sale of plastic carry bags and single-use plastic items is prohibited under article 3 of law N° 17/2019 of 10/08/2019 relating to the prohibition of manufacturing, importation, use and sale of plastic carry bags and single-use plastic items in Rwanda.
Under article 10, any person, who imports plastic carry bags and single-use plastic items, is liable to dispossession of those plastic carry bags and such items, and to an administrative fine equivalent to ten times of the value of those plastic carry bags and single-use plastic items.
In article 12, a retailer of plastic carry bags and single-use plastic items is liable to an administrative fine of Rwf300, 000 and dispossession of those plastic carry bags and such items.
