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Residents run for cover as police open fire on commuter omnibus
Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA)
June 11, 2010

TThe Fourth Street bus terminus went into chaos this morning as some rowdy police men opened fire and shot the rear tyre of a moving commuter omnibus. The outrageous incident took place at around 845am today along Robert Mugabe Road near Road Port when the police were trying to apprehend the driver of the commuter omnibus who had been operating without a permit.

The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), Municipal Police and the Vehicle Inspection Department (VID) launched an operation code-named "100% CBD Decongestion", which has seen commuter omnibus operators being arrested and fined for various offences. The ZRP are focusing on vehicle licensing and road permits, VID is checking vehicle fitness while the Municipal police are on the hunt for those operators who park at undesignated places and are without parking discs. CHRA interviewed some commuter omnibus operators at Fourth Street today and most of them indicated that they were willing to follow Council by-laws but the service charges to meet the requirements from the police, Council and VID were exorbitant and unaffordable. They pointed out that medical tests needed $300, passenger insurance $150 and rank disks $120 .The drivers also pointed out that they were not informed about this Operation and were not even aware of the name of the Operation. The Police Officers who spoke to CHRA were not able to explain why they were opening fire on an unarmed driver.

Meanwhile, there are reports that another commuter omnibus was involved in an accident along Simon Mazorodze while trying to evade the police.

The Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) is, however, disappointed with the way the police are handling the Operation. Although it is a fact that Commuter omnibus operators have not been the best citizens in Harare due to their continuous flouting of city by-laws, there is no justification for the police to use live bullets in the midst of hundreds of civilians. The police are there to protect residents and not put the lives of residents in danger. The behaviour of the police at Fourth Street today is uncalled for and it is disappointing and disgusting to say the least. They could have harmed the civilians who were unwittingly looking for transport to ferry them to their different destinations.

CHRA calls on the responsible authorities, especially the Commissioner of Police to come up with a better strategy to deal with the problem rather than unleashing violence on residents. The military way in which the ZRP and Municipal Police are dealing with offenses has become a cause for concern and there is a need for the responsible Authorities to go back to the drawing table and come up with sustainable solutions to the problem. The number of rowdy elements in both the ZRP and Municipal police is increasing by the day and there is a need to take some disciplinary measures on officers who expose the lives of residents to unnecessary danger due to use of unnecessary force and violence. While the Harare city is in need of a clean-up from unscrupulous commuter operators, the ZRP and Harare Municipal police are also in need of an even greater and thorough clean-up so that residents can have police officers who protect rather than threaten their lives. CHRA demands that the Commissioner of police should issue out an official statement condemning the behaviour of the rowdy officers under his command and clearly spell out what is going to be done to ensure that it will not happen again.
The Association also urges the Commuter Omnibus Operators not to run away from the police, especially when they have passengers on board as this will further jeopardise the lives of residents. The City of Harare and VID should also consider reducing the license and vehicle testing fees so that Commuter Omnibus operators can easily meet all the requirements.

CHRA remains committed to advocating for good, transparent and accountable local governance as well as lobbying for quality municipal services on a non partisan basis.

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