Kabwe drivers’ wrangle continues

Kabwe drivers’ wrangle continues

Kabwe, February 26,  ZANIS ———–Wrangles between minibus drivers and pirate taxi drivers in Kabwe have continued after pirated taxi drivers counter reacted to fellow colleagues (minibus drivers)resulting in continued outcries of infringement of operations.

Apparently, the pirate taxi drivers irately drove the streets of the town centre showcasing their reaction to the continued uproars by registered minibus drivers who were seen up in arms against the pirate taxis on Monday.

The demonstrating minibus drivers yesterday claimed in their protest that most of the escalated pirate taxis were operating illegally and alleged that in most cases were not even paying tax as they do.

Kabwe Bus Drivers Association, General Secretary, George Kamwimbe justified the demonstration by bus drivers alleging that they are paying various taxes to the government through the Zambia Revenue Authority, Kabwe Municipal Council and RTSA whereas the pirate taxis are not paying anything.

And Bus Drivers Association Vice Chairperson, Madalitso Zulu said the bus drivers believe that pirate taxis are illegal because those are not taxis but private vehicles which apparently are not registered as
public vehicles as they still have black number plates.

Speaking to ZANIS in response to all the allegations said against them, some pirate taxi drivers who sought anonymity admitted to the allegations of illegally operating as public transport operators but
stood firm on not wholly adhering to what the [claimed] police were asking them to do.

The pirate taxi drivers who do not even have an apparent representative, were allegedly told to paint their vehicles in blue, to get fleet numbers and to acquire red registration plates so as to
signify their taxis as public transport operating vehicles.

They however, adamantly refused to adhere to the directive of painting their vehicles blue as they expressed that it is contradicting the 2011 government repeal of Statutory Instrument of 2000 which initially compelled public service vehicle operators to paint their vehicles in blue.

“We all know that this directive was rescinded in April 2011, hence, we still must enjoy the current right to paint our vehicles in the colour of our choice,” they said.

They further said they would really want to abide by the law as good citizens but could not reasonably paint their vehicles overnight and described the whole process as a cumbersome one.

Meanwhile, ZANIS efforts to reach the police on the continued agitating wrangles proved futile as the Central Province Police Commanding Officer, Standwell Lungu was not in his office at press
time.

Mini bus and registered taxi drivers in Kabwe yesterday protested against their fellow drivers who are involved in the transport business without legal registration of their vehicles, accusing them of disturbing their business as they are not registered transport operators.

The duo registered transporters also complained of lack of business due to the influx of un registered taxis commonly known as pirate taxis who do not pay tax as they do.