Tobacco farmers warned

Daniel Chigunwe Mashonaland Central Correspondent
MAZOWE North legislator Cde Campion Mugweni has warned tobacco farmers against travelling while seated on top of bales as the practice has resulted in several deaths.

His comments follow the death of a tobacco farmer who fell from the top of tobacco bales at Tsati Bridge last week.
Cde Mugweni said some similar cases had gone unreported.
He urged the police to arrest such tobacco farmers.

“As legislators, we are concerned with cases of farmers who have fallen to their death while travelling on top of their tobacco bales,” he said.

“The police should descend heavily on the transporters and those who risk their lives by travelling on top of the tobacco bales.
“Basically, we need to enforce the law. There is laxity in enforcing the law which bars the movement of goods together with people as we are coming across farmers sitting on top of their bales on our roads.

“It is not the first incident to happen. Recently, there is another farmer who fell and died just after Mazowe. Many of these cases are not being reported.”

Acting Mashonaland Central police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Petros Masikati said besides arresting motorists, they were also conducting awareness campaigns.
“It is an offence for motorists to carry people on top of goods,” he said.

“We are conducting awareness campaigns so that they understand how important their lives are.
“The drivers should make it a prerogative not to carry people on top of bales. Farmers should find alternative transport to get to the auction floors.

“We are doing these awareness campaigns considering that here in Mash Central several vehicles are transporting bales. It is now a common sight and at our roadblocks we are fining the drivers. Some of the vehicles are being impounded by the Vehicle Inspection Department.”