News / National
Zimbabwe parliament slams police over deadly pirate taxi pursuits
15 hrs ago | Views
Parliament has expressed concerns over the high-speed chases between the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) and pirate taxis, commonly known as "mushikashika," as well as commuter omnibuses, which have increasingly posed a danger to the public.
Speaking on a point of national interest recently in the National Assembly, Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) Member of Parliament Traswell Chikomo condemned the ZRP's actions, stating that such pursuits are endangering public safety.
"In Harare, we are facing a challenge regarding the battle between commuter omnibuses and the police. You would find that there are running battles between the police and commuter omnibus operators.
"The police will be targeting commuter omnibuses and when commuter omnibuses are offloading people, the rank marshals tip them off and they try to evade the police. You would find that passengers get hurt and some are affected by that. Hon. Speaker, this is not sustainable," said Chikomo.
The Glen View legislator called for punitive measures to address the ongoing cat-and-mouse game between commuter omnibus operators and the ZRP.
"As a nation, I think we need to enact laws which will help in this situation because now people are no longer free because of the races between the commuter omnibus and the police," added Chikomo.
ZRP officers have been involved in frequent confrontations with commuter omnibuses and pirate taxis, resulting in injuries and, in some cases, loss of innocent passengers' lives.
However, Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda dismissed Chikomo's concerns in a surprising response.
"If they are not guilty, why do they run away? Do innocent people run away? If a car is stationary and the driver is in the car, when the police come, why do people run away when they are innocent? So, inform combi drivers to drive their vehicles accordingly. There is no need to run away," said Mudenda.
Despite their legal and regulatory challenges, commuter omnibuses remain a preferred mode of transport for many Zimbabweans.
Speaking on a point of national interest recently in the National Assembly, Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) Member of Parliament Traswell Chikomo condemned the ZRP's actions, stating that such pursuits are endangering public safety.
"In Harare, we are facing a challenge regarding the battle between commuter omnibuses and the police. You would find that there are running battles between the police and commuter omnibus operators.
"The police will be targeting commuter omnibuses and when commuter omnibuses are offloading people, the rank marshals tip them off and they try to evade the police. You would find that passengers get hurt and some are affected by that. Hon. Speaker, this is not sustainable," said Chikomo.
The Glen View legislator called for punitive measures to address the ongoing cat-and-mouse game between commuter omnibus operators and the ZRP.
"As a nation, I think we need to enact laws which will help in this situation because now people are no longer free because of the races between the commuter omnibus and the police," added Chikomo.
ZRP officers have been involved in frequent confrontations with commuter omnibuses and pirate taxis, resulting in injuries and, in some cases, loss of innocent passengers' lives.
However, Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda dismissed Chikomo's concerns in a surprising response.
"If they are not guilty, why do they run away? Do innocent people run away? If a car is stationary and the driver is in the car, when the police come, why do people run away when they are innocent? So, inform combi drivers to drive their vehicles accordingly. There is no need to run away," said Mudenda.
Despite their legal and regulatory challenges, commuter omnibuses remain a preferred mode of transport for many Zimbabweans.
Source - NewZimbabwe
