By Nompilo Mathuthu
Police in Bulawayo have warned private commuter omnibuses as well as the Honda Fit operators popularly known as “mshikashika ” who are plying the city’s routes to stay off the roads as advised by the government.
Whilst launching a new batch of Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (ZUPCO) buses at the beginning of this month President Emmerson Mnangagwa urged the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) to take sterner measures on illegal commuter operators by setting up of roadblocks to curb the practice.
Provincial Police Spokesperson , Inspector Abednico Ncube, said the commuter operators were violating the law and taking advantage of reduced police roadblocks after government eased lockdown regulations at the beginning of the month.
“We are concerned with the increasing number of motorists who were prohibited from transporting commuters and are violating the law , this is despite the fact that the police carried a number of campaigns and the law is now clear that only ZUPCO is accredited to ferry commuters , ” said Inspector Ncube
He warned illegal operators to desist from breaking the law.
” We are seeing a lot of unwarranted motorists who are coming into town and blocking pavements and 6th Avenue is now becoming a menace . We want to warn the motoring public to desist from breaking the law. If we find some passengers boarding those illegal motor vehicles we will not desist from arresting them .”
Skyz Metro FM news observed that police officers were impounding those vehicles found in violation of the law in the central business district .
