News / National
Man uses chief's tag as driver's licence
13 Mar 2014 at 12:54hrs | Views
A COUSIN to Chief Nhema of Shurugwi has been driving cars for more than 10 years without a valid driver's licence. He allegedly flashes the chief's badge whenever he comes across a police roadblock.
Never Daidai, a first cousin to acting Chief Nhema, Gilbert Daidai, has often been tasked by the acting Chief to act on his behalf on many occasions.
Daidai has since then taken advantage of the situation, employing the chief's badge as a driver's licence.
Sources said Daidai was also a known reckless driver.
He drives his own truck, a blue Mazda B22 pickup truck.
A source said Chief Nhema recently visited Shurugwi District Administrator, Jorum Chimedza, asking him to engage Daidai after receiving several complaints from members of the public over his reckless driving.
"The chief was very diplomatic and did not want to confront his cousin for abusing the chief's badge and driving without a licence. He approached the DA and voiced his concerns and the DA latter had a meeting with Daidai," said a source.
Sources said Chimedza later convened a meeting with Daidai and advised him of the dangers of driving without a licence.
Said the source: "Chimedza also warned Daidai that he was violating Section 45 of the Chiefs Act by masquerading as a chief. He frankly told him that he should quickly retain the chief's badge to its owner each time he returns from any assignment he would have been tasked to carry out by the chief on his behalf,"
Daidai yesterday confirmed driving without a valid driver's licence.
He, however, declined to comment further saying he only entertained questions on his driving without a licence from police officers manning a roadblock.
"The question of how I drive without a licence can only be asked by a police officer at a roadblock. However, I have never come across such a question and I will only answer that if it's a police officer asking me at a roadblock," he said.
Daidai who also confirmed having met Chimedza insisted that he was a chief and would continue to use the chief's badge whenever he is travelling.
"I am from the chief's family and I share the same blood with the chief. Therefore, I am a chief. How do you qualify a chief? I will continue to use the chief's badge because I am the chief. You can go and ask Minister (Ignatius) Chombo if you are in doubt," said Daidai.
Acting Chief Nhema confirmed assigning Daidai to act as chief whenever he is occupied.
Said Acting Chief Nhema: "I normally assign him to perform the chief's duties on my behalf. I also heard that he does not possess a driver's licence but I could not bother myself to ask an adult like him to produce a driver's licence when he has been driving for more than ten years now," he said.
Chimedza also confirmed having met Daidai saying he warned him of the dangers of abusing the chief's badge.
"I received several complaints to the effect that Daidai was abusing the chief's badge. I had a meeting with him and I warned him of both driving without a licence and abusing the chief's badge. I had received several complaints that he was masquerading as a chief," said Chimedza.
Never Daidai, a first cousin to acting Chief Nhema, Gilbert Daidai, has often been tasked by the acting Chief to act on his behalf on many occasions.
Daidai has since then taken advantage of the situation, employing the chief's badge as a driver's licence.
Sources said Daidai was also a known reckless driver.
He drives his own truck, a blue Mazda B22 pickup truck.
A source said Chief Nhema recently visited Shurugwi District Administrator, Jorum Chimedza, asking him to engage Daidai after receiving several complaints from members of the public over his reckless driving.
"The chief was very diplomatic and did not want to confront his cousin for abusing the chief's badge and driving without a licence. He approached the DA and voiced his concerns and the DA latter had a meeting with Daidai," said a source.
Sources said Chimedza later convened a meeting with Daidai and advised him of the dangers of driving without a licence.
Said the source: "Chimedza also warned Daidai that he was violating Section 45 of the Chiefs Act by masquerading as a chief. He frankly told him that he should quickly retain the chief's badge to its owner each time he returns from any assignment he would have been tasked to carry out by the chief on his behalf,"
He, however, declined to comment further saying he only entertained questions on his driving without a licence from police officers manning a roadblock.
"The question of how I drive without a licence can only be asked by a police officer at a roadblock. However, I have never come across such a question and I will only answer that if it's a police officer asking me at a roadblock," he said.
Daidai who also confirmed having met Chimedza insisted that he was a chief and would continue to use the chief's badge whenever he is travelling.
"I am from the chief's family and I share the same blood with the chief. Therefore, I am a chief. How do you qualify a chief? I will continue to use the chief's badge because I am the chief. You can go and ask Minister (Ignatius) Chombo if you are in doubt," said Daidai.
Acting Chief Nhema confirmed assigning Daidai to act as chief whenever he is occupied.
Said Acting Chief Nhema: "I normally assign him to perform the chief's duties on my behalf. I also heard that he does not possess a driver's licence but I could not bother myself to ask an adult like him to produce a driver's licence when he has been driving for more than ten years now," he said.
Chimedza also confirmed having met Daidai saying he warned him of the dangers of abusing the chief's badge.
"I received several complaints to the effect that Daidai was abusing the chief's badge. I had a meeting with him and I warned him of both driving without a licence and abusing the chief's badge. I had received several complaints that he was masquerading as a chief," said Chimedza.
Source - chronicle
