Cage station gangsters

FOR some time now, the owner of Capital Buses popularly known as Flash, Ishmail Kankara, has been warning that the raging war in Lusaka between bus drivers and criminal gangs masquerading as political cadres may result in the loss of life. These criminal elements have established illegal bus stations and stops on various routes and have been extorting money from hapless drivers and conductors. It with sadness that we report in today’s edition that a Flash driver has died after a brutal attack by suspected gangsters operating illegal stations and bus stops, and extorting money from drivers and conductors. According to sources, Mr Richard Mwila Kamanda was waylaid by the suspected cadres as he was heading home after parking his bus. After knocking off, Mr Kamanda, aged 37, was heading home to rest. The assailants, who must have been waiting for him in the shadows, followed him and hacked him in the head with a sharp weapon, leaving him for dead. He is reported to have died in Levy Mwanawasa Teaching Hospital where he was admitted after the attack. It is unfortunate that a dedicated driver, whom fellow drivers have described as a good man, could be killed in such circumstances. The activities of these men who have been terrorising bus drivers and conductors around the city centre must be stopped. The gangsters posturing as political party cadres have created illegal bus stops where they force drivers and conductors to pay them money for nothing. They even demand money from buses dropping off passengers at Kulima Tower for example. They do not provide any service but are just there to collect cool money from the bus crews which they do not work for. Those drivers who fail or refuse to pay are marked. They are stalked and attacked brutally when they are found in an unsecure place. This is not the first time such an attack has happened. Three months ago, another driver was brutally hacked and struck with a blunt object, leaving him with a deep cut in the head and a swollen face. Fortunately, he survived the attack. But Mr Kamanda was not as lucky. Why has this nuisance been allowed to continue? Are police and other security wings not aware of the gangsters who have been holding the city centre hostage? Now a life has been lost, and more may be lost if nothing is done. Are these unruly men wearing reflective vests employed by any institution or they are mere gangsters collecting money they do not work for? Drivers are now working and living in fear because they do not know who will be the next victim. The council should work with relevant State and quasi-government agencies to restore sanity on Lusaka roads and in stations. These men cannot continue behaving as if there is no government. Bus drivers are citizens who deserve protection. Besides, they pay taxes and statutory contributions such as NAPSA while the people who are terrorising them and grabbing money from them with impunity do not pay anything to the government. Zambia is a nation of laws where citizens engaged in decent livelihoods must work in peace without the fear of being attacked by lawless elements masquerading as political party cadres. If the Zambia Police Service has failed to cleanse the bus stations and routes of these ruthless gangsters, the government must use the military. We all saw the sanity that prevailed in Lusaka’s central business district when the soldiers from the defence wings took over the maintenance of law and order in the wake of the outbreak of cholera. Should the soldiers be deployed against these marauding gangs that have taken over routes and streets such as Freedom Way in the CBD there will be peace within 48 hours. Failure to control these people has economic implications as it affects the capacity by the council and the Zambia Revenue Authority to collect revenue as mandated by the law. The time to act is now.