Online Reporter
Post Reporter
NORMALCY has returned to most bus termini, ranks and the streets of Mutare after law enforcement agents this week read the riot act and swooped in to maintain law and order after these public places had been turned into jungles of lawlessness by marauding touts’ criminal and errant behaviour.
Travelling and commuting had become an unpleasant experience, while vending was now a nightmare as rank marshals turned themselves into the new sheriff in town, becoming a law unto themselves as they randomly bullied the defenceless and hapless members of the public.
The chaos unleashed by touts around the city resulted in drug peddling, common assault, theft, robbery, indecent assault, pickpocketing, extortion and public nuisance cases being regular occurrences in broad daylight.
Most public places were being turned into fiefdoms they controlled using intimidation and manipulation.
At the height of their reign of terror, brazen confrontations sometimes erupted among themselves.
The clashes were violent and bloody, turning public places into warzones as the touts — armed with machetes, knobkerries, hockey sticks, daggers, sjamboks, stones and other dangerous weapons — fought for control over perceived territory to mark their turf.
Public transport operators and vendors ultimately paid the price for these turf wars as they were ordered to cough up “facilitation and protection fees.”
Travellers and commuters were not spared either as they were manhandled by being forced onto buses or kombis, with some sustaining injuries, while others lost their personal belongings and luggage got damaged.
The felons were, however, always living on borrowed time as law enforcement agents this week turned up the heat and sprang into action to end the touts’ lawlessness honeymoon and restore sanity in the city.
The Joint Operations Command (JOC) — comprising the Zimbabwe Republic Police, Zimbabwe National Army and Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service — early this week conducted awareness campaigns in Sakubva and the city centre to sensitise touts, vendors and the general public on the need to uphold law and order when conducting their daily business.
The exercises were immediately followed by arrests as the law enforcement agents adopted a zero-tolerance approach against any activities that compromise public safety and security.
Police had gone on the offensive earlier this month to protect citizens and guarantee their safety and security, leading to the arrest of Jealous Mukorera — popularly known as Great Khali — who has been languishing in remand prison since his arrest on April 9.
Mukorera is alleged to be one of the masterminds pulling the strings among the touts’ groupings.
Fifty-seven (57) touts were rounded up at bus termini, ranks and on the streets for various offences across the city on Monday, the first day of the crackdown.
Another 36 were nabbed the following day.
More arrests were made on Wednesday, with 47 touts netted and yesterday (Thursday).
Acting Manicaland provincial police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyoka confirmed the arrests, saying the security agents will maintain a tough stance against lawlessness.
“After a public sensitisation exercise on Monday, we went out in full force and made arrests on the same day. The law enforcement agents have read the riot act and since then maintained their presence on the ground, especially at bus termini, ranks and on the streets.
‘‘By Tuesday, we had a cumulative 93 arrests of touts. We are geared to put a decisive end to any criminal activities in these public places and ensure that citizens go about their daily business peacefully and without any infringement,” he said, adding that the law enforcement agents remain on top of the situation.
“We are tightening the screws and keeping sufficient pressure on the culprits until the situation is completely contained. The long arm of the law is catching up with any rogue and unruly elements that disrupt law and order.
‘‘All criminality and errant behaviour by rank marshals and touts will soon be a thing of the past as we are nipping it in the bud,” said Assistant Inspector Chinyoka.
He added that the blitzkrieg is an ongoing exercise and sustained initiative until the tout menace is completely eradicated across Manicaland.
Assistant Inspector Chinyoka sternly warned bogus police and City of Mutare officers who are also terrorising vendors and commuters in the name of enforcing the law and city by-laws, respectively. He also called on public transport operators to ensure that they conduct their business in a lawful, peaceful and orderly manner.
“It is unlawful for anyone in the police force to demand token or undue payment outside of their official duties as facilitation or protection fees.
‘‘Bus and kombi operators also have the duty to uphold law and order. We will not allow a situation of criminal elements operating at termini and ranks under the guise of being drivers, conductors or other crew members conducting business in the names of the operators.
‘‘This calls for them to operate under registered associations that can regulate them. Bona fide crews must also display legible tags with their identities and wear bibs at all times for easy identification to minimise infiltration of their operations by unruly elements,” said Assistant Inspector Chinyoka, further urging the public to report to their nearest police stations any errant behaviour by touts and other rogue elements.
“The security services will remain on high alert, regularly conducting patrols around the city. We will always be vigilant to curb any criminal activities, and the public must report such whenever they encounter any,” said Assistant Inspector Chinyoka, adding: “As law-abiding citizens, we must all contribute to the development of our country so that no one and no place is left behind.”
Most vendors, commuters and travellers — speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of victimisation or reprisals — applauded the law enforcement agents for their commitment and dedication to duty by taking the touts to the cleaners.
“Things were getting out of hand as it had become free-for-all at termini, ranks and on the streets, with touts having a field day. Besides harassing us onto buses and kombis, some of them were demanding money from vendors and public transport operators.
‘‘We no longer felt safe at all as they had become a law unto themselves. Travelling had been turned into an unpleasant experience and in the ensuing melees, some of our personal belongings got lost or torn. We thank the law enforcement agents for answering our loud cries for law and order to be maintained,” said a traveller at Sakubva Musika, who declined to be named.
A city vendor commended the security forces for their proactive stance, describing it as a necessary measure to help restore sanity in the city, adding that they must conduct frequent blitzkriegs to arrest lawbreakers.
“Being a vendor had become a nightmare because touts are always pestering us as if they are law enforcement agents. If they are not demanding money for one reason or the other, then they are confiscating our wares and merchandise. We welcome this move by the security services to arrest them and rid society of their menace,” she said.
The vendor added that when convicted, the criminals must be slapped with lengthy jail terms to deter other would-be offenders.
Also speaking on condition of anonymity, a member of the Manicaland Drivers and Transporters Association (MDATA) said touts were counterproductive, and hailed their arrests as progressive. “MDATA is a registered public transporters’ association committed to passenger safety and security. We bemoaned touts’ activities as they went against our legal, professional and orderly operations.
We have always taken an anti-touting stance and applaud the police for weeding them out of our midst through these arrests,” said the MDATA member.
