A number of travellers in East Africa have fallen victim of traffic police bullies forcing them to pay bribes, facing fines for phantom offences and having officers unfairly wield their power on them. The problem of corrupt police officers is a global problem. It is good to know how to deal with corrupt traffic officers to enjoy your car rental experience in Rwanda.
They abuse their power for personal gain and usually take advantage of foreigners because they assume that they don’t know the local laws and regulations. It is frustrating and intimidating to deal with a corrupt police officer but don’t let them ruin your self drive safari experience. Here are some tips that will help you navigate situations where you encounter these corrupt officers.
Know Your Rights and the Local Laws
Corrupt police are often take advantage of tourists being unaware of local laws and customs. Take time to research about legalities and requirements of the place you’re visiting so that you do don’t fall prey to corrupt officers overextending facts.
For instance it is a common practice in East Africa to carry out a bag or body search without your consent. This practice may make you feel intimidated and they may threaten to arrest you without probable cause. In this case, showing a police officer that you know your rights will save you from being cheated into buying your way out.
Do not offer bribes
Refuse to offer or pay any form of compensation to a traffic police officer. If you’re in the wrong, insist on a ticket or formal written warning and remember all fines and tickets can be paid online or at the bank.
If the police insist that you pay them, refuse firmly and politely state that you’re no willing to do so and request to escalate the issue to their supervisor. In such cases, you may report the officer in question to the East African Police Chiefs Cooperation Organisation (EAPCCO).
Document your encounter
In case of maltreatment from traffic police, it is usually advisable to discreetly record videos or take photos in case you decide to take on legal action. This serves as evidence and a lesson to other corrupt officers.
Be Mindful at Borders and Checkpoints
Cross border points in East Africa are vulnerable to corruption for a variety of reasons like small salaries being paid to border officials, limited external oversight and the level of autonomy and authority they enjoy. Do not carry banned items and be prepared with your required documents since you may be fined heavily for seemingly minor infringements.
Have a Data Plan on your Phone
For your safety, it’s helpful to always have a data plan on your phone so that you quickly search for any emergency phone numbers in the event that you are cornered and propositioned by corrupt police.
This could be to contact your embassy or consulate, your travel agent, your hotel reception or concierge to bail you out. You can also inform a family member of your whereabouts in case you feel an official is threatening you or being excessively aggressive.
Just Speak English
Take advantage of language barriers. English and Swahili are the official languages in East Africa but be sure to find traffic police officers that cant speak either languages.
Even if you can, don’t try to speak their local language and stick to English. If the offending official doesn’t have a great command of English, they may quickly tire of you and go on the hunt for another victim to bother.
In popular tourist destinations, police may indeed be fluent in English, but you can try to give them the run around by speaking slowly, repeating yourself often, or showing ignorance to reduce the ease of doing business with you.
Never say you’re in a hurry!
Even when you have a serious emergency to attend to, never ever tell a traffic police officer that you’re in a hurry because they will take advantage of it by saying you need to pay a fee for them to let you go.
Ask Plenty of Questions
Rather than making combative statements, ask plenty of questions of the officers talking to you. This puts the ball back in their court with questions they’re often ill-equipped to answer either from a language or a logic perspective.
This also buys you time to feel out the situation. When they’re used to eliciting fear and they fail to do so, you can see them start to sweat and re-evaluate in real-time.
Keep calm
When stopped by traffic policers, remain calm and polite and don’t argue or resist as this may escalate the situation. If you get angry and start yelling or arguing with authorities, you give them justification for doing you harm.
Aggression could get you arrested for disorderly conduct or physical or verbal abuse. Never make fun of the officers or question their authority and thus give them a reason to teach you a lesson. African police have a huge ego so charm them by calling them “sir” or “ma’am” and even thank them for their services. No one loves affirmation like an East African Traffic police officer.
Important to note is that before you embark on a self drive safari across East Africa, ask you car rental provider about the traffic rules and necessary documentation so that you’re well equipped. Also remember that staying calm, knowing your rights and refusing to participate in corrupt activities are key to navigating such situations.
