Chronicle Editor
WE commend the ongoing police operation dubbed “No to Mushikashika and Touts” that has so far netted 22 000 offenders across the country in a bid to arrest the chaos in city centres caused by touts and mushikashika operators.
Many of these mushikashika operators drive without licenses and violate traffic regulations putting motorists and pedestrians at the risk of accidents.
In Bulawayo in particular, the mushikashika operators had taken over pockets of the city’s roads which had become a nightmare for other motorists to navigate as the mushikashikas were recklessly parked even in the middle of the road.
The touts on the other hand were notorious for harassing passengers to the point of hurling expletives at those who did not want to board their cars.
Women were especially targeted by the touts and dragged into vehicles against their will.
Because of their lack of regulation, some of the mushikashikas have been used in the commission of various crimes like armed robberies, rape and the peddling of drugs among other ills.
It is against this background that we call on the police to continue with their operation until sanity is fully restored on the roads.
Periodic checks should also be done after the operation to ensure compliance.
As of Tuesday, 259 touts and 642 mushikashika drivers were nabbed countrywide bringing the cumulative number of touts arrested to 823, while the number of mushikashika drivers arrested stands at 22 112 since the operation was launched last Friday.
National police spokesperson, Commissioner Paul Nyathi emphasised the critical need for action to ensure public safety and order.
“The rampant proliferation of mushikashika and touting poses a serious threat to public safety and order. We are committed to restoring law and order on our streets and ensuring the safety of all citizens,” he said.
Comm Nyathi said the operation is part of a collaborative effort with transport authorities and other relevant parties to deliver significant results quickly. Arrests have targeted not only transport service providers but also aggressive and unlawful touts at transport hubs and commuter pick-up points.
Repeat offenders will face the full force of the law and will not be able to pay fines as a way out. Instead, they will be taken to court for sentencing.
“We are working with various stakeholders who include public transport providers and Government organs such as the Judicial Service Commission. We have noted that most of these people that are arrested are repeat offenders and therefore there is a need for them to face the full wrath of the law,” said Comm Nyathi.
Colletta Dube