Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. Mthwakazi Republic Party(Mthwakazi) this week wrote to the Home Affairs Minister and the ZRP Commissioner-General complaining about the conduct of ZRP Police officers, New Zimbabwe reports. Mthwakazi was complaining about how the officers are handling pirate kombis operating in the city of Kings despite the ban when it called the cops’ conduct barbaric and terroristic.
Mqondisi Moyo said he has received many complaints from kombi operators who are frustrated by the police who are not handling themselves in a professional manner according to Moyo: I write this second letter to you because of another wave of madness by irresponsible police officers,” he said.
On several occasions, I have witnessed your police officers who lack professionalism, smash windows of emergency taxis around 6th Avenue between Lobhengula and Herbert Chitepo streets, and in other places in Bulawayo.
I have of late been receiving calls from many kombi owners and drivers registering their frustration with the barbarism of the members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police who have become law unto themselves.
Police authority is only limited to arresting offending drivers, recording vehicle registration numbers, and even advising on the right conduct without necessarily causing damages to people’s properties.
We even wonder where you are getting the fuel with which to race after these transport operators when you hardly respond to genuine reports of theft and murder brought to your attention by the public. You always cite lack of resources but when it comes to kombis, the resources are there.
We further demand to know why you, as ZRP and your irresponsible government of Zanu PF are forbidding the private Kombi operators to resume their normal operations in Bulawayo.
Surprisingly, the so-called Zupco kombis and buses are now operating as private operators as they no longer observe Covid-19 regulations. What then justifies your barring of private operators from resuming their business?
Another observation is that most of our Ndebele kombi operators are not under ZUPCO due to the stringent conditions that made it difficult for them to register. How can the government become the monopolistic player in the transport industry?
Is this not the same Zanu PF government which destroyed the original Zimbabwe United Passengers Company twenty years ago? Your ZUPCO vehicles lack capacity to meet transport needs of the public. And by the way, competition is healthy in a normal economy.
Private kombies are still prohibited from plying urban routes since they were banned in March as a measure to contain spreading COVID-19.
More: New Zimbabwe
