NO POLITICAL CADRE HAS AUTHORITY TO CHASE BUS DRIVERS - PS
NO political party cadre has authority to chase a bus operator out of a station as the mandate of running a station falls under the local authority, Local Government and Rural Development Permanent Secretary in charge of administration, Maambo Hamaundu, has said.
Mr Hamaundu has since ordered all bus operators claiming to have been chased out of Lusaka’s Kulima Tower Bus Station by alleged UPND cadres to go back to the station and continue operating immediately.
However, Mr. Hamaundu explained that as far as the ministry is concerned there is no one who has been chased out of the station, but that if this is the case the affected drivers should go back to the station and continue operating.
He said the ministry does not condone anyone who purports to hold authority or power to chase operators out of the station except the station manager.
He said Kulima Tower Bus Station is a public station, therefore his ministry will not condone such illegality of chasing drivers.
Mr. Hamaundu warned that police will not hesitate to take in anyone who would be in conflict with the law.
Mr. Hamaundu said such will not be condoned as President Hakainde Hichilema has made it clear that no caderism should continue in bus stations and markets.
And Kulima Tower Bus drivers’ representative Bruce Mukumbila disclosed that they were removed from the station by a group of UPND cadres who are said to be running an active branch and collecting money from contributions.
Mr. Mukumbila has explained that the drivers were thrown out of the station because they pulled out of the contribution exercise as they were not in favour of the scheme.
He disclosed that UPND officials have formed and are running the branch and that they come in the station to collect at least K1, 000 from each of the 13 drivers per day.
“We have tried to engage Local Government Minister Gary Nkombo on the matter, but nothing has been done, therefore we call upon the President to look into the matter as currently we are no longer operating,” Mr. Mukumbila said.