Police Officers charging defiant Kombis USD$1 at road blocks

Police officers across the city are charging banned commuter omnibus operators bribe fares amounting to USD$1 per trip to allow for their operations and passing through road blocks.

In cases were they are much of a crowd at the check points or at risk of being caught , conductors know the deal , they give bribe to a nearby vendor who will be working with the police officers.

Government Covid-19 regulations bans kombis from operating allowing only Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (Zupco) buses and franchised kombis.

However , with the economic crisis and nearly 6 months of not operating , killing their source of livelihoods kombi operators have been forced to come back on the road against all odds.

Most of the kombis are having access into the CBD by bribing police officers at checkpoints.

A kombi driver ferrying passengers along Domboshawa route said that their desperate situation force them to liase with the police officers and bribe them.

“We pay them money , a USD$1 per trip is not really much since we are charging the same amount per person.”

“Sometimes they act rough on us and we are forced to increase the amount but, at the end of the day we go home with something.”

While the country is facing a transport crisis due to the ban of kombis living the unreliable , inadequate buses as public transporters , kombi’s have been capitalising on the crisis , ferrying stranded people in town.

Conductors seem to be comfortable with the whole bribe issue along checkpoints as USD$1 payments allows them to fend for their families.

“ We give them the bribe and go on with our business , the biggest thing is providing at home, “ said one conductor.

However, ,loading passengers in the CBD does not happen easily police officers have been hitting wind screens and windows.

Kombis have devised ways of evading such by fixing metals , head boards and small fences to windows and windscreens.

Police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi is quoted to have said that operators of commuter omnibuses or private vehicles ferrying passengers illegally risk being impounded.

“The police are aware that some vehicle owners and drivers have removed number plates, with some putting wooden boards or other materials on windows in order to evade arrest.”
“This will not be tolerated and the law will be applied.”

The act is putting passengers at risk in the case of accidents , however police officers due to bribes allow give the kombis access into the CBD.