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Harare to ban kombis, pirate taxis
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The City of Harare has announced ambitious plans to ban commuter omnibuses (kombis) and pirate taxis (mishikashika) within the next three years, a move it says is part of efforts to transform the capital's congested and chaotic public transport system. The ban on pirate taxis, however, is to take effect immediately.
This latest development is outlined in Harare's recently adopted master plan covering the years 2025 to 2045, which aims to address the city's growing transport challenges while modernising its infrastructure. The plan blames kombis and pirate taxis for worsening road accidents, congestion, and the general deterioration of road infrastructure due to reckless driving and poor regulation.
"Policy 109: Ban commuter omnibuses in Harare within the next 3 years. And Policy 110: Ban pirate taxis mishikashika in Harare with immediate effect," reads part of the master plan.
The city authorities argue that the current state of public transport in Harare is a far cry from the structured system envisioned during the Economic Structural Adjustment Programme (ESAP) era in the early 1990s, which deregulated urban transport to allow private operators like kombis to operate alongside Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (Zupco) buses. However, this deregulation has since spiralled into unregulated chaos.
Statistics show that around 50% of Harare residents rely on kombis, buses, and pirate taxis for daily commuting, while 16.9% walk and 28.5% use private vehicles.
Despite the city's intentions, transport sector experts and civic groups have warned that banning kombis without offering viable alternatives risks backfiring. Zimbabwe Union for Drivers and Conductors president Frederick Maguramhinga cautioned that aggressive enforcement would create more problems than solutions.
"If the master plan is done with aggression, just like what happened before, we will not be able to resolve these issues; it will create problems for our country in the future," said Maguramhinga.
He argued that kombis are a common and necessary mode of transport across Africa and cannot simply be banned without practical alternatives, particularly as Zimbabwe's roads remain in poor condition and existing bus services are inadequate.
"The buses they call mass transport systems will not accommodate everyone. One cannot wait for five hours for a bus to get into town and travel just five to seven kilometres," Maguramhinga said.
Passengers Association of Zimbabwe president Tafadzwa Goliath echoed these sentiments, urging the council to focus on repairing essential infrastructure like public toilets and bus termini before targeting kombis.
"The proposed ban raises concern about the practicality and feasibility of such a move," said Goliath. "Given the city's existing infrastructure challenges, including inadequate public toilets and bus termini, it's crucial for the authorities to address these underlying issues before implementing such a ban."
The master plan also takes aim at other informal transport modes, such as three-wheeled taxis, which it says should be banned outright. In addition, all ride-hailing services will now be required to submit GPS telemetry data and monthly ridership reports or risk losing their operating licences.
"Three-wheeled taxis should not be allowed to operate or move on Harare roads as a means of public transport. All cab-hailing facilities and companies must submit GPS telemetry data on all trips and monthly ridership reports to the director of urban planning with immediate effect. Noncompliant companies should be banned from operating," reads the plan.
Furthermore, the master plan proposes that Harare City Council engage central government for the return of motor vehicle licensing to the city and that Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara) funds be allocated proportionally to the number of vehicles registered in Harare.
The report highlights the decay of public transport infrastructure, with bus termini in disrepair and overwhelmed ablution facilities. It notes that kombis and buses now pick up and drop off passengers at undesignated spots, causing congestion, especially in the central business district (CBD).
"There are no marked drop-off zones in the CBD bus termini. On some ranks, there are multiple entry and exit points and this makes it difficult to control traffic," the report reads.
The master plan further acknowledges that Harare lacks robust traffic demand management policies to encourage non-motorised transport such as cycling and walking. It says poor infrastructure and social stigma discourage people from embracing these alternatives.
"There is a stigma around non-motorised transport, especially among Harare residents who associate it with poverty," the plan notes. It suggests that with better infrastructure investments and supportive policies, attitudes could change.
Despite these proposals, concerns remain over whether the city can realistically implement such drastic measures within the proposed timelines, given Harare's longstanding challenges with urban planning, enforcement, and service delivery.
This latest development is outlined in Harare's recently adopted master plan covering the years 2025 to 2045, which aims to address the city's growing transport challenges while modernising its infrastructure. The plan blames kombis and pirate taxis for worsening road accidents, congestion, and the general deterioration of road infrastructure due to reckless driving and poor regulation.
"Policy 109: Ban commuter omnibuses in Harare within the next 3 years. And Policy 110: Ban pirate taxis mishikashika in Harare with immediate effect," reads part of the master plan.
The city authorities argue that the current state of public transport in Harare is a far cry from the structured system envisioned during the Economic Structural Adjustment Programme (ESAP) era in the early 1990s, which deregulated urban transport to allow private operators like kombis to operate alongside Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (Zupco) buses. However, this deregulation has since spiralled into unregulated chaos.
Statistics show that around 50% of Harare residents rely on kombis, buses, and pirate taxis for daily commuting, while 16.9% walk and 28.5% use private vehicles.
Despite the city's intentions, transport sector experts and civic groups have warned that banning kombis without offering viable alternatives risks backfiring. Zimbabwe Union for Drivers and Conductors president Frederick Maguramhinga cautioned that aggressive enforcement would create more problems than solutions.
"If the master plan is done with aggression, just like what happened before, we will not be able to resolve these issues; it will create problems for our country in the future," said Maguramhinga.
He argued that kombis are a common and necessary mode of transport across Africa and cannot simply be banned without practical alternatives, particularly as Zimbabwe's roads remain in poor condition and existing bus services are inadequate.
"The buses they call mass transport systems will not accommodate everyone. One cannot wait for five hours for a bus to get into town and travel just five to seven kilometres," Maguramhinga said.
Passengers Association of Zimbabwe president Tafadzwa Goliath echoed these sentiments, urging the council to focus on repairing essential infrastructure like public toilets and bus termini before targeting kombis.
"The proposed ban raises concern about the practicality and feasibility of such a move," said Goliath. "Given the city's existing infrastructure challenges, including inadequate public toilets and bus termini, it's crucial for the authorities to address these underlying issues before implementing such a ban."
The master plan also takes aim at other informal transport modes, such as three-wheeled taxis, which it says should be banned outright. In addition, all ride-hailing services will now be required to submit GPS telemetry data and monthly ridership reports or risk losing their operating licences.
"Three-wheeled taxis should not be allowed to operate or move on Harare roads as a means of public transport. All cab-hailing facilities and companies must submit GPS telemetry data on all trips and monthly ridership reports to the director of urban planning with immediate effect. Noncompliant companies should be banned from operating," reads the plan.
Furthermore, the master plan proposes that Harare City Council engage central government for the return of motor vehicle licensing to the city and that Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara) funds be allocated proportionally to the number of vehicles registered in Harare.
The report highlights the decay of public transport infrastructure, with bus termini in disrepair and overwhelmed ablution facilities. It notes that kombis and buses now pick up and drop off passengers at undesignated spots, causing congestion, especially in the central business district (CBD).
"There are no marked drop-off zones in the CBD bus termini. On some ranks, there are multiple entry and exit points and this makes it difficult to control traffic," the report reads.
The master plan further acknowledges that Harare lacks robust traffic demand management policies to encourage non-motorised transport such as cycling and walking. It says poor infrastructure and social stigma discourage people from embracing these alternatives.
"There is a stigma around non-motorised transport, especially among Harare residents who associate it with poverty," the plan notes. It suggests that with better infrastructure investments and supportive policies, attitudes could change.
Despite these proposals, concerns remain over whether the city can realistically implement such drastic measures within the proposed timelines, given Harare's longstanding challenges with urban planning, enforcement, and service delivery.
Source - Newsday
