Police To Escalate War Against Illegal Kombis
The government has warned private commuter omnibus (kombi) operators that police will increase their operations against them as they are flouting COVID-19 regulations.
Private kombis were banned from plying the country’s urban routes in March 2020 and the government decreed that they register under the State-owned bus company, the Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (ZUPCO).
In her post-Cabinet briefing Tuesday, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said VID, TSCZ and police will clamp down on unregistered private kombis to bring sanity to the transport sector. She said:
… the Vehicle Inspectorate Department (VID), the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) and the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe continue to enhance surveillance and enforcement in response to the upsurge of unregistered private kombis plying the country’s urban routes.
Owners of these vehicles are called upon to register with ZUPCO if they wish to operate on the country’s roads.
Drivers and crews of registered buses and kombis operating under the ZUPCO franchise are urged to strictly adhere to road rules and regulations as well as COVID-19 guidelines in order to avoid unnecessary delays to the travelling public and brushes with the law enforcement agencies.
Police have since launched a blitz targeted at illegal kombi operations that are breaking COVID-19 regulations.
Last week police in Bulawayo impounded over 400 kombis, buses and Honda Fit pirate taxis for violating regulations.
