The Ben announced that he had been penalized for driving without wearing a seatbelt, and he apologized to all Rwandans who saw him and promised not to repeat actions contrary to the law. This followed a post by someone named Edman Ishimwe on X (formerly Twitter) on January 17, 2025, which pointed out that The Ben, identified as Mugisha Benjamin, was driving without a seatbelt and committing other serious traffic violations.
The Rwandan police responded, acknowledging the report and stating they would investigate the matter.
On the evening of January 18, 2025, The Ben posted an apology on his social media, admitting to the mistake and explaining that he had already addressed the issue with the police and faced the consequences as required by law. He wrote, “Hello friends, family, and fans. Yesterday you saw footage of me promoting my song ‘Say My Name,’ which I did with Kivumbi King. I was in the car without a seatbelt, which is against the law and the traffic rules set by the Police of our country.”
He continued, “I have reported to the police and have been penalized. I sincerely apologize to everyone who saw this and promise that it won’t happen again. I also commit to being more careful and law-abiding whenever I’m on the road.”
In his message, The Ben encouraged his followers and fans to continue respecting road safety laws and promoting road safety initiatives like Gerayo Amahoro, which is regularly advocated by the Rwandan police to ensure safe road use for everyone.
In addition to the seatbelt law, there are other important traffic regulations, such as avoiding talking on the phone while driving, not driving under the influence of alcohol, not exceeding speed limits, and always wearing a seatbelt. Pedestrians also have rules, like walking on the left side of the road and crossing only at designated pedestrian crossings after ensuring it’s safe.
