HARARE - Minibuses are causing unprecedented traffic congestion, lawlessness and mayhem in Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare, where life has become hell for other motorists, pedestrians and workers in the Central Business District.
With reports that government is mulling an outright ban of kombis in the city centre to decongest the city, commuter omnibus drivers have become even more brazen.
And it appears police have completely failed to bring order to this city centre chaos.
The city’s ever-rising traffic problems are especially severe in highly-congested areas due to narrow roads, with the congestion blamed on the usage of mini buses, some of them flouting traffic laws as they flee from baton-wielding police officers out to smash their windscreens for a variety of transgressions.
Commuter omnibus drivers cause accidents due to their disregard of basic road rules like parking at undesignated points, turning in-front of oncoming traffic and speeding.
And where there is congestion, there is usually heavy smoke emitted from vehicles into the air, a development that is harmful to health and has negative effects on the environment.
Pollution due to vehicle emission and traffic accidents have become endemic, with proposals to restrict the growth of kombi ownership in urban areas or ban them altogether.
The majority of Zimbabweans do not own private cars. They use public transport to travel long distances.
The informal minibus-taxi industry is, for the most part, unsafe, overcrowded, unreliable, expensive and run by operators who will at times, literally, kill their competition in order to keep their routes and licences.
The vast majority use commuter omnibuses because they have no other choice.
They cannot afford the transport, public or private, that they would prefer.
Many are complaining that they are wasting time in the traffic, a move that impacts negatively on the economy.
During yesterday’s late afternoon rush hour, kombis were as usual parked at undesignated areas, colloquially known as “mushikashika.”
Along Sam Nujoma, kombis to Mt Darwin and Bindura were literally blocking traffic.
Police officers were not paying much attention to the chaos created by the kombis.
Private vehicles turned into commuter taxis were also blocking the road along Leopold Takawira Street, the road that heads to Avondale.
A number of people have been killed on the roads due to the kombi menace. Tanatswa Neil Mutyora, 4, was in April run over by a commuter omnibus driver fleeing from police.
Obert Mpofu, the minister of Transport, has announced a ban on kombis, an announcement met with disbelief by kombi drivers.
He said the proposal to phase out kombis was outlined in the National Transport Policy.
Gift Madakuenda, 27, a kombi driver who plies the City-Kambuzuma route, said: “It does not make sense, how will we survive?
“This is our only source of livelihood and I am not sure government would be able to pull something big like that.
“Government does not have buses or the capacity to provide them.”
However, Mpofu suggests replacing the kombis with high-volume buses operated by a limited number of private players.
But Jimmy Jongwe, a kombi driver, said bringing in buses could be worse for customers.
“As far as I am concerned, bringing in buses is wishful thinking,” he said.
“Remember Zupco came and it failed. Those who travelled on Zupco buses remember that they were not efficient. People would wait more than two hours before boarding the bus. Kombis are reliable.”
Kombi drivers have been accused of being reckless and killing passengers due to speeding.
But the drivers rejected the accusation.
“Accidents happen, that is why they are called such,” he said.
“Along Seke Road, Chawasarira buses were involved in accidents just like our kombis.”
Chris Chipikiri, 34, a driver who plies the City-Chitungwiza route everyday, said many rely on commuter omnibuses.
“Kombis make people survive, from its own staff to the fuel station where we buy fuel to the Vehicle Inspection Department, VID, to the police that feed on us,” he said.
“This is the only industry we know, we will not be employed elsewhere.”
Mpofu says the new buses will significantly reduce bus fares.
Over 4 550 individuals are registered as commuter omnibus owners in the capital, according to the City of Harare’s recent department of Urban Planning Report.
“What is total empowerment of the people when this millionaire minister is saying this?” Chipikiri said.
“Maybe he wants to buy his buses and put them on the road. Why does he want to tamper with our livelihoods?”
Another driver at Fourth Street Bus Terminus said Mpofu was right to do away with kombis.
Tatenda Munjanja, 39, said, “We are having sleepless nights with these kombis because we are not making enough money due to the police and council.
“They demand money from us and we basically work for them. Kombis should be banned and we’ll see what will happen.”
Some drivers hoped that they would be allowed to operate alongside the buses to create healthy competition. They said competition would determine who stays on the road.