New cameras attempt to stop bribe problem
To reduce the burden of the Kality Drivers and Mechanics Training Institute, which is the only drivers practical exam center in Addis Ababa, the city administration is planning to build a new Driver’s Training Institute at Kolfe Keranio Sub -City.
The new institute lies on 9.4 hectares. It will be used to test 800 people on the practical exam and 1,200 on theory, per day.
The exam center will have CCTV cameras, three G+4 stories building and should consume up to 70 million birr for construction. It is expected to be open for business in two years.
There were plans to build a branch at CMC in May 2012. However, the site location was rejected in favor of an industrial development project.
Misgena Kebede, Vice Manager at the Driver and Vehicle Licensee Control Authority told Capital the new facility will speed up the process of issuing licenses.
“There are long lines for everything from small motorcycles to trucks, sometimes is takes months for a person to take the tests, so this new facility will go a long way towards reducing congestion.”
In related news, exam takers in Kality are complaining that they are being asked up to 3,500 birr in bribes to pass the exam tests, and if they don’t pay the chance of passing the exams are slim.
A young man named, Isayas told Capital that he gave 3,500 birr to the examiners because they asked him to do this before he entered the practical exam.
“Before I entered the exam the examiners told me that I must prepare the money otherwise it will be difficult for me to pass the exam and I had no choice and I gave them to take the exam otherwise they will say I failed even if I passed.’’
Currently, there are around 31 examiners working in the Kality Drivers and Mechanics Training Institute. According to Mesgana Kebede, the examiners have been observed cheating by police and government staff.
“We hear that bribes are being carried out in Kality to get a license. As a government body our duty is to verify this. We have opened some investigations and are taking action. The cameras that were being used to observe the practical test were not functioning for two years but for the past three weeks they have been working. There are 23 cameras so it is harder to cheat now. Soon we will install IT auditing in our office. This will show any exam taker what their practical exam is by looking at the video.”
