BREAKING

Commuters Cry Out Against Police Repression

By Loyd Matare

In the once-thriving streets of Harare, a sense of despair now hangs in the air, like a mournful mist that refuses to lift. Residents, worn down by the daily grind of survival, have been left with only tears to shed.

The streets, once a hub of activity and hope, have become tense and cold, offering no shoulder to sob on, no respite from the relentless struggle.

The wise words of a Shona proverb, “Mwana asingacheme anofira mumbereko” (a child who does not cry dies in childbirth), have become a haunting reality, as the city’s commuters are forced to endure the unbearable weight of repression.

For those who dare to venture out onto the streets, the experience is akin to navigating a battleground.

The ongoing police operation, touted as a means of restoring order, has instead become a source of terror, leaving commuters caught in the crossfire, their lives reduced to a mere struggle for survival.

The roadblocks, the cat and mouse chase happening in the capital where police will be smashing windows of fully loaded kombis and the feeling of fear that grips the heart – all have become an integral part of the daily commute, a grim reminder of the city’s descent into chaos.

As the people of Harare cry out for relief, their voices are met with silence, leaving them to wonder if anyone is listening, or if they are truly alone in their suffering.

The operation which has been dupped ‘operation commuter repression’ have left so much tears.

On the contrary, the police have their own definition of the operation which they have dubbed “No to Mushikashika and Lawlessness on the Roads,” aiming to restore order and promote public safety. Commuters are crying foul, saying the police are making their lives a living hell.

“We are being treated like criminals. The police are always stopping all kombis, asking for bribes, and causing traffic jams. It’s like they want us to be late for work,” said a frustrated commuter, who preferred anonymity.

Kombi drivers are also expressing their fury at the ongoing police operation.

“The police are the most corrupt individuals in Zimbabwe. Allowing them to be on roadblocks is just a way to make them fleece us of our hard-earned money.

“That’s why they are always calling us (kombi drivers) stubborn. That’s not our nature, but those corrupt individuals in blue uniforms are responsible for molding us into the kind of people we are today,” said one kombi driver Innocent Jacha.

Another mushikashika driver, who also preferred anonymity, revealed that they ply and roam the streets freely and unlicensed because they pay bribes to the police.

“We give them money ‘chotonzi chegumi mdara tobvisa pa week pega pega’ and they spare us from their wrath. It’s a corrupt system, and we’re just trying to survive,” the driver said.

This comes as recently national Police spokesperson, Commissioner Paul Nyathi, urged officers to prioritize major traffic offenses that promote road safety and responsible driving.

“The police should focus on key issues which promote road safety and responsible driving. We have taken note of some of the complaints raised by the public, and our officers have been fully briefed on what they should check at police checkpoints,” Comm Nyathi said.

However, commuters are skeptical about the police’s intentions.

“The police are not interested in promoting road safety. They are just interested in making money from us. They are causing more harm than good,” one commuter from Southerton, Tafara Silombo said.

The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has intensified its ongoing operation, but commuters are calling for a more nuanced approach.

“We understand the need for law and order, but the police need to be more considerate. They need to understand that we are not the enemy. We are just trying to make a living, and now most of the accidents are being peddled by the police because they are negligent in their approach.

“You see fully sane police smashing a windscreen of a vehicle with passengers inside, how do you explain that, sometimes you see them chasing a kombi, it is funny you know, at one point I saw six police officers chasing a kombi along Robert Mugabe running surely, the police are the most arrogant, and funny of all.

“Apa vanenge vari busy going after Kombis as if ndoega mutown but every street in Harare kwakazara mushikashika how do you explain that, hakuna zavadaro, those guys are corrupt all what they are doing even mwanangu ari grade one can laugh, they are just exposing their ignorance and corruption because now everyone knows kuti they collect bribe from mushikashika,” another resident from Chitungwiza Mai Chizema said as she burst into laughter.

As the police operation continues, commuters are left to wonder if anyone is listening to their cries. The streets of Harare remain a battleground, with commuters caught in the crossfire. Will the police heed their calls for a more considerate approach, or will the repression continue? Only time will tell.

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