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Bus Drivers Boycott, Lusaka Commuters Left Stranded In The Cold
The protest by bus drivers is against what they say is the arbitrary impounding of their buses and prosecution of the drivers in the courts of law for contravening.
A check around the city found commuters stranded at bus stations amid the cold weather which has gripped the capital city today.
And the Commuters Rights Association of Zambia says it is fully supports the move by the Police to impound buses that contravene traffic laws.
Speaking to QFM in an interview, Commuters Rights Association of Zambia president Aaron Kamuti says the bus drivers are contributing to the traffic congestion especially the in town due to contravening.
Mr. Kamuti says most of the bus drivers that want to protest against the law are the illegal bus drivers who do not even meet the Road Transport and Safety Agency(RATSA) requirements such as the public service vehicle licenses, fitness among others and road taxes.
He says the action by the police to impound and prosecute bus drivers found wanting is commendable, noting that it will help bring sanity on the roads and reduce accidents.
Mr. Kamuti notes that the law is very clear and bus drivers found wanting should not complain and has further urged genuine operators to support the law as this is meant to work to their benefit.
He has further appealed to commuters to also observe the law under the Road Transport Act of 2002 which says a commuter is liable to pay a fine if found getting on a bus at undesignated areas.
Posted by Editor
on June 17, 2013. Filed under LATEST NEWS.
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Ndaje Kahks
June 17, 2013 at 1:35 pm
What nonsense. So these jumping jack flashes want to continue causing accidents. HH should be ashamed of himself for initiating such a foolish thing. Let them boycot and see how they will put food on their tables. Blacks in the USA and RSA stopped using buses in order to win their freedom and succeeded. We shall walk to our work place and see who will win this needless war. You want to kill us Why.
isaac
June 17, 2013 at 2:18 pm
One wonders this is coming from a man who is aspiring this high office. Hakainde affords two meals aday. These pipo he is influencing, live hand to mouth and less than a dollar a day. Just what type of a leader is this Hakainde.His prayers are that PF should fail so that he should take over a failed state and how he will be able to rebuild it no one knows. This world has pipo who are heartless while they preach about going to plot one.
kj
June 17, 2013 at 2:55 pm
isaac pliz leave hh its not him to make pf fail it has failed already becoz of being big head tell pf to understand people s cry thank dear
ggg
June 17, 2013 at 2:40 pm
But ndiwe chikopo.Do you have a brain?You really believe its HH who started this?
kj
June 17, 2013 at 3:28 pm
THANK U ASK GOD TO OPEN YOUR EYES WHICH SEEM TO BE BLIND MAYBE YOU ARE THE ONE GIVEN 6 BILLION TO GO TWIST BAD TO GOOD
kj
June 17, 2013 at 3:16 pm
HH IS NOT WORKING FOR RTSA SIMPLY HELPING THOSE DRIVERS IN WRONG HANDS OF GOVERNMENT LOOK MY DEAR EVERY DAY PROBLEMS SUBSIDIES ,KAMPASA KILLIG OVER LAND BUS IMPOUNDING ROUT CONTROL PRICE CONTROL FUEL K10000 NOW A BAG OF MEALSKR61 TO K80 IN SOME AREAS MAYBE YOU ARE A MINISTER TO SUPPORT WRONGS, MMD WAS VERY GOOD COMPARED TO PF TAKE IT OR LEAVE
isaac
June 17, 2013 at 3:40 pm
You only understand issues within the inner circle of HH and his party.Do you know the wrongs that those guys in this case the drivers can cause to themselves and the country as a whole? A good and true leader cannot behave the way Hakainde does. He is trying hard to do how Sata used to do, unfortunately Sata was smart than this man callaed Hkainde. I remember at one time Sata had to go to ZRA when they were at strike to plead with them to go back to work that was when he was in opposition. But the oppositions of today they incite the pipo to rise against the democratically govt. What a shame!
Chachacha will be back
June 18, 2013 at 10:46 am
I agree with Isaac. HH thinks he can find votes among bus drivers just like Sata did. but you see our towns are looking bad partly because of tax/bus driver behavior. if we let this go on our Zambian roads will no longer be safe. i have seen how these flash bus drivers do on the roads. other countries do not tolerant such, go to Zim a troubled country, there is sanity on their roads, Namibia and Botswana are shining examples. Whats wrong with us Zambians? RTSA/traffic police increase impounding of wrong doers and they will scum.
nono
June 18, 2013 at 2:51 pm
Is he a threat or a thorn in your flesh? If he is not a factor why getting concerned with wat he does
Malcom X
June 18, 2013 at 1:26 pm
What is a jumping jack flashes?
Call Me
June 17, 2013 at 1:43 pm
NOSENSE Ndaje!!!
sam david lungu
June 17, 2013 at 2:09 pm
it is not fair bus drivers play an important role in our day to day processes
kalalyafye
June 17, 2013 at 2:09 pm
Eku shalila kwati matako uku. It is gud they prosecuting drivers and they should stop impounding busses coz busses do no break the law. HH kukana kwata amano do not support useless things like that u are just bringing confusion in the country. Do not be desperate ukapona pofye nakabili lobe.
HH is too intellingent for some zambians
June 17, 2013 at 2:16 pm
you missed what HH said my dear….he condemmed careless driving but said he would ask the laywer to represent them in court.
isaac
June 17, 2013 at 2:30 pm
He is intelligent for his few tribal men not most of us who know and be able to read between the lines. What he wants is to see PF fail so that he takes over a failed state but we know he has no techenical know how as he has never been a leader apart from being a leader of the his family.
Soby
June 17, 2013 at 3:33 pm
Hw much do you know about HH. Are you telling us that all of a sudden the man has become so powerfull that he is able to influence such actions. If this is the case then he really has made a breakthrough and is likely to win come 2016. I thought you PF cadres say he is only known in Southern province. Or is it that all those bus drivers are his “tibal men”?
isaac
June 17, 2013 at 4:44 pm
The breakthrough you’re talking about will remain a pipe dream. Even in 2011 during the run up to election you UPND cadres used to say HH has made some improvements which will results in winning some of the Lusaka seats but alas you came distant third with no seat in the heart of of the city of Lusaka. Complascence will always take you no where. Do not cheat us because we know Zambian politics.
Mundia M
June 17, 2013 at 4:20 pm
We chipuba chikalamba wee! If HH knows the drivers are driving around carelessly, as a good leader, why didn’t he appeal to them to be careful with the lives they carry?
HH would rather provide them with legal presentation when RTSA and ZP charge the thug drivers for dangerous driving, contravening or any other traffic offence?
HH needs to start acting, talking and behaving like a decent president to be otherwise state house will continue to elude him.
Ndaje Kahks
June 17, 2013 at 2:26 pm
Ba Call Me cant you put your argument in a sober manner?
CHIEF
June 17, 2013 at 2:37 pm
Drivers thats a wrong move you are making,HH won’t even give you money for your life issues,follow traffic rules and take care of your families,build your lives.Zambian everywhere we should not support what is wrong in the name of politics,it’s time to work and make money not depending oupon man.God is the giver of wealthy and he blesses the labours of our hands not complaining.
Brain
June 17, 2013 at 2:48 pm
HH does not own those buses! These drivers are very foolish to say the least and the Police should go further by detain them without option for bail for two weeks!The vehicles should be impounded for one week with no option for fine. A leader can not promote anarchic!!
isaac
June 17, 2013 at 3:04 pm
Brain you’re right. This man called HH is even offering free representation to all the drivers in court just to gain political mileage out of nothing which he will not have anyway.
small
June 17, 2013 at 2:50 pm
Leave the bus drivers alone and u deal with the street vending first, coz they re the ones who te keeping the country very dirty and they re inconviniencing the roads too.
Mundia M
June 17, 2013 at 4:46 pm
Small with samll brain, the minibus drivers are causing road mayhem and you talk nonsense about street vending. You and HH drop from the same tree of course and can only think in short term.
The bus drivers must obey traffic rules and HH as a leader in this country must encourage bus drivers to follow traffic regulation and not offering legal representation to erring drivers. Bus drivers contravening traffic regulations put in danger firstly the many passengers they carry, other motorists and themselves.
We need leaders who can think in a more strategic manner. If HH has so much money to throw around, why didn’t he offer minibus drivers free lessons in defensive driving to improve the general populations’ road safety?
I have always known this HH is a loose canon with billions in his account.
One of these days he will encourage us to start a war if we are not careful.
malasha boy
June 17, 2013 at 4:56 pm
Am really impressed with your logic. it’s like that of a chicken.
Mundia M
June 18, 2013 at 4:34 pm
Malasha boy, go cut a tree and burn charcoal, your head hurts when you try to think!!! Malabishi boy!
Mundia M
June 18, 2013 at 4:34 pm
Malasha boy, go cut a tree and burn charcoal, your head hurts when you try to think!!! Malabishi boy!
nachikola
June 18, 2013 at 8:30 am
you know what Mundia you are very right. those of us who have used this public transport you will agree with me how they will toss around the roads to just avoid traffic officers. if really their buses are road worthy why are they always scared of traffic officers? And most of them do not even have valid driver’s licences. Nevertheless their employers are to blame for not servicing their buses and put them in a road worthy condition.
HH was laughing at Sata that he was only popular among the kaponyas, marketeers and bus drivers, so what is he trying to do? Gaining political mileage among kaponyas? Pliz ba HH do not incite or rather support what is wrong, it is the lives on the road that are in danger.
Chachacha will be back
June 18, 2013 at 10:55 am
Of course the street vending is wrong, am pro PF and really condemn this vice, our president failed on street vending. But this should not be reason for anarchy on the roads. RTSA should start withdrawing the bus owner operating licences maybe this can help.(like what happened to Tickleys bus service)
Nampundwe
June 17, 2013 at 3:36 pm
RATSA, sort out these fools. Hh will soon reach a dead end.
Kennedy
June 17, 2013 at 4:53 pm
The state must cage HH. He is insighting public disorder
Old Katuba Boys
June 17, 2013 at 5:45 pm
We cant support lawlessness, min bus drivers are rude and cause travelling a problem in Zambia. Police and RATSA work hard to sort out these chaps, they should not go to HH and claim innocence.
Nampundwe
June 17, 2013 at 6:00 pm
When I heard that there is a riot in town, I thought it was over mealie meal or fuel. These minibus and cab drivers are a nuisense not only to fellow motorists but to road users. They are the causers of most these RTAs. For someone to start insighting these fools is very irresiponsible one’s part. These drivers drive on both sides of the road. When you flash at a minibus driver to ask him to give way, he will flash back to show that he too has the right of the way. It is lawlessness at its worst.
Go to areas like Mutendere, Matero, Kanyama, Lilanda, Zingalume. These drivers park anywhere on the road, creating unnecessary trafic jams. Lumumba road in the evenings. Then a so-called responsible leader insights these drivers. What nonsense can this be? Hh, grow. You think people will vote for you because of advocating for lawlessness. Rubbish and childish thinking. Kutumpa sana uku.
Osmore
June 17, 2013 at 7:08 pm
Mmd lawlessness must be put to an end. ls this what Hh can support? He must be insane.May commutors too boycot boading their buses. Can the police pounce on this id iots who want to hold the govt at ransom please.How many pipo have these killed?
ndibu
June 18, 2013 at 12:51 am
I have never seen Lusaka town so calm as it was today. Traffic flowed without unwarranted stoppages. That’s when I understood RTSA’s point. We could live in a better environment when order is in place.
mafo
June 18, 2013 at 8:55 am
tumfweko idiots misula sha nyinenu, why not pulish this ***** Isaac you also support, one day mukanya imwe.
mafo
June 18, 2013 at 8:58 am
If the mibus drivers and taxi operators are rubbish, why miss them on the road, let them rest from the pushups of the police and national service who shot people, if you can do withouth them, why the concern that theyare not on the road, this how ****** fools would sink so low, condming and at the same time wanting them ooh fools, mwanya. Mwaleumfwa fye, ni nganda ushilala.
mafo
June 18, 2013 at 9:02 am
@Nampundwe ukanya, if you are from bantu bo tatwe, u think u can bank on these bembas, am sure u have never travelled, this is the only cursed tribe in zambia, the rest are much better.
nono
June 18, 2013 at 2:48 pm
Whoever is condemingr HH cant think properly coz those drivers are matured enough to see wat is hapening on them good or bad .so lets not continuing blaming one person and after all is them who go to HH for help coz they see a helping man in him than this failed PF
pettie
June 18, 2013 at 4:38 pm
My mini bus which was carrying people going to the funeral to Chongwe was nearly smashed in Kanyama compound because of the same issue.Why do people behave in such a manner?
eric
June 18, 2013 at 5:21 pm
having driven buses for almost half my life i think the goverment should find enough space for buses to park then sensitise bus drivers or call a share holders meeting involving bus owners thatn punishing innocent people, i know in lusaka it sucks to drive especially around city market lumumba road and the likes traffic police should stop taking bribes and do some police work they are so corrupt that after making the drivers pay them they let the guys contraven all they want lusaka mayor go to work inspector general be like the late wazakaza hsrip
kc
June 18, 2013 at 11:54 pm
Is street/coridor vending legal.
mulenga chishimba
June 19, 2013 at 3:48 am
its high time Lusaka had a mordern transit system befitting a capital city, those small buses and their conductors and call boys have brought nothing but insanity,