I have written before about my horrible experiences in kombis. I have stated that passengers have rights and we should exercise them. However, I was taken aback when I saw that the Transport Minister Obert Mpofu had said Government would ban kombis. My first question was why now? What happened for Mpofu to decide that kombis should be banned?
Many lives have been lost due to the kombis and I am pretty sure the Minister was well aware of this but nothing was done. Kombis have been a menace for a long time now. They are literally a law unto themselves. I have witnessed unlicensed kombi drivers bribing police officers and then we continue with our journey as if all is normal. Even when driving we have normalised the fact that these drivers will overtake when it is dangerous to do so and immediately stop in front of you, sometimes with no brake lights. Even their vulgar language now goes unnoticed.
I would like to know what steps the Minister has taken to address these issues before deciding a ban was the best solution. The people who will be affected have not been taken into account at all, have they? Did the people recommend banning kombis as being the best solution? Has the Minister sought audience with ZRP to understand why the traffic police are failing to deal with kombis effectively?
I hear there has been a trial run for Metro Buses in Harare and these will be run by a private company. What about ZUPCO? Has Government completely given up on the idea of providing public transport? Who will monitor these buses? Is Government even considering reviving, ZUPCO at all? Does this mean that the transport system in Zimbabwe is going to be fully privatised? And will this company appreciate running their fleet on these pot-holed roads of ours?
I do not think banning kombis is the answer to the transport challenges we are facing. I feel that this has not been well-thought out. How about ensuring that the police do their work and enforce the law and impound un-roadworthy vehicles? And arrest all unlicensed drivers?
Did the Minister even think about what will happen to all those that will be unemployed after the ban? Will they be absorbed into the new system? It is not as if our country has a lot of jobs to offer.
Sadly, for me, the ban typifies Government reactions to national issues: either knee-jerk, over-the-top or downright bizarre. Price controls of 2007 come to mind. This does not do much to change the perception amongst some Zimbabweans that Government does not care about citizens.
I believe leadership means consulting people and hearing what their problems are, how they think they could be solved and then move forward. This would make people feel that their input and opinions matter: “Leadership should be more participative than directive, more enabling than performing” (Mary D. Poole).