'Cops mustn't run kombi businesses,' says Chihuri

Members of the police force should neither own, nor run commuter omnibus businesses to avoid a conflict of interest, Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri has said. He said this yesterday while welcoming three members of the ZRP who had gone to Liberia on a peacekeeping mission in September last year.

"To the officers returning home, I urge you to familiarise yourselves with the national programmes that have been ushered in after the successful harmonised elections. I urge you to quickly acquaint yourselves with the new provisions that are now part of the new Constitution."

"Remember to put God first as you travel for the Christmas holiday for your safe travel. The mode of transport you use should not be the vehicles to take you to the grave. Kana mofamba musangokwira chero kombi because some of them are not roadworthy. It has come to our attention that some are owned by members of the police force, but then you cannot be a police officer and run a kombi business as well, it creates a conflict of interest," he said.

In recent months there has been an outcry from commuter omnibus operators who felt that there were being treated unfairly on the roads while some kombis travel hassle free because they are owned by members of the police force.

There were also reports that most of the officers who owned those kombis would have served on UN peacekeeping missions and those from the traffic section. Many kombis around Harare have various police camp addresses written on the side as it is mandatory for all kombis to have the names and address of the owners.

Kombi operators and drivers said those that do not have adequate paperwork for fitness and the routes they operate on are never affected by any police operations.