By Tendai Chisiri
Harare – The Passengers Association of Zimbabwe (PAZ) has urged the Commissioner General of Police to urgently crack down on unlicensed touts who are driving commuter omnibuses, warning that the practice is endangering lives across the country.
In a statement issued on behalf of passengers, PAZ National Coordinator Tafadzwa Goliati said some kombi drivers were surrendering their vehicles touts without valid driver’s licences. The touts then pick up and drop off passengers while effectively learning to drive on public roads.
“This practice, known as ‘kuchera,’ puts lives at risk,” Goliati said. “Local passengers are no longer safe at all.”
PAZ also raised concerns over the conduct of police officers at roadblocks. According to the association, officers often allow the conductor to disembark and speak to them while the actual driver remains in the vehicle.
“The police are supposed to inspect the vehicle and check the driver’s licence, but the conductor is not the driver, so we wonder why they deal with the conductor instead,” Goliati said.
The association said the loophole was enabling unqualified individuals to operate public service vehicles unchecked.
PAZ said it was appealing directly to the Commissioner General of Police to prioritize road safety and ensure that only licensed drivers operate kombis.
Kombi and commuter omnibus operations have long been a flashpoint for road safety concerns in Zimbabwe, with authorities frequently citing speeding, overloading, and unlicensed drivers as contributing factors to accidents.
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