Online Reporter
Trust Freddy
Zimpapers Correspondent
PANIC has become a daily reality for shoppers and workers in Harare’s central business district as commuter omnibuses (kombis) and pirate taxis have turned the pedestrianised First Street Mall into a high-speed bypass to evade law enforcement.
The iconic promenade, strictly reserved for foot traffic, is now being breached almost every day by drivers fleeing police crackdowns at the illegal rank located at the corner of Angwa Street and Speke Avenue.
Witnesses on Wednesday condemned the reckless behaviour of kombi drivers after minibuses roared onto the paved promenade to bypass police cordons, heading toward Robert Mugabe Way and Jason Moyo Avenue.
“They have crossed the red line,” said Chipo, a pedestrian who was left visibly shaken after narrowly avoiding a speeding minibus.
“First Street is no longer safe because, surely, at any time, you can be run over. We are living in fear, and it seems this is happening every single day now.”
The invasion also disrupted commercial queues and informal trade. Customers at the Econet Shop and ZB Bank at the corner of George Silundika Avenue were forced to scatter into building entrances as vehicles roared past at high speeds.
Mr Elvis Gavaza, an employee at Galaxy Mall, situated along the pedestrian way, warned that the situation has reached a breaking point.
“Our clients are no longer safe because kombis are passing right through our doorstep, speeding,” the worker said. “It is scaring away the very people who come here to shop.”
Vendors, who often display wares on the pavement, could also be seen frantically clearing their goods to avoid being crushed.
Police and municipal authorities have been intensifying operations against “mushikashikas” (illegal taxis) and unregistered kombis in recent weeks.
However, the unintended consequence has been a “cat-and-mouse” game that has spilt into the city’s most sensitive pedestrian zones.
When contacted for comment, National Police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi warned all illegal pirate taxi operators who mount pavements to flee from police, declaring that offenders will no longer be given the option to pay fines and will instead face immediate prosecution and jail time.
“We are witnessing a blatant disregard for human life where drivers choose to drive onto crowded pavements to avoid arrest,” he said.
“The era of paying a fine and returning to the road is over. This is a criminal offence that will now be resolved strictly by the courts.”
The city’s busy intersections have been converted into unauthorised pick-up points as illegal “pirate” taxis continue to defy directives to utilise designated ranks.
These operators employ aggressive touts who vet every passenger to block undercover officers, while drivers keep engines idling to flee at the first sight of law enforcement.
The trend has turned urban intersections into high-risk zones of congestion and evasion.
