Normalcy returns to Chitungwiza

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There was only one police roadblock near St Mary’s police station along the busy Seke Road.
Kombi traffic was flowing smoothly along the road with drivers expressing relief over the situation.
A driver, who plies the Chitungwiza-City route, Mr Charles Makomba, said the situation had returned to normal.
“It has been ages since we last worked like we are doing today.
“We hope to work like that in the future,” he said.
“We appreciate that our voice has been heard by whoever is responsible for deploying the police officers.
“We are now left with the issue of touts at all ranks who say they collect money on behalf of the Zanu PF party.”
Mr Makomba said police should help them clean up the ranks of touts rather than only concentrate on roadblocks.
“We will fully appreciate if the police officers who man the roadblocks on the roads come and chase away touts from our ranks.
“We are even willing to pay protection fees to them than lose money to thugs,” he said.
However, spokesperson for Chitungwiza Commuter Omnibus Operators Mr Farai Muza dissociated his organisation from the Monday protest.
“We are businesspeople who do not engage in strikes and we dissociate ourselves from the strike that other operators had yesterday.
“Genuine operators do not strike because a strike is equal to sabotage,” he said.
He said they were still paying protection fees to touts known as ‘mandimbandimba’.
“We are still appealing to the authorities to help us deal with touts because they are not helping in indigenisation.
“We are not happy with these thugs who are fleecing us of our hard-earned cash.”
On Monday, kombi drivers protested against police roadblocks along Chitungwiza-City route.
Policemen in riot gear were later deployed to disperse drivers who had a brief gathering at Makoni Shopping Centre.