Drivers must follow road traffic rules

EDITOR — It was another great loss of lives some few weeks ago when 10 passengers were killed in a horror commuter omnibus accident along the Harare-Chirundu Highway, on the same week another five passengers perished along Harare-Mutare Highway.

This happened while the nation was mourning other five passengers who lost their lives along the Bulawayo-Gwanda Highway the same week, bringing the total to 20 people in five days’ time.

It is a great loss to relatives, friends and the whole nation. May their souls rest in peace and may the Lord comfort all the relatives.

May I appeal to all public transport operators that they should follow the International Transport Treaty Agreement so as to save lives from our roads carnages.

I would humbly request the Government to enforce the PSV and other vehicles to carry the prescribed number of passengers which are on their permits as this will reduce the high rate of passenger deaths and the permanent disability of the travelling public which is taking place our roads on a daily basis.

Let me extend our appeal as passengers to the Head of State and Government, President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, the Minister of Home Affairs Cde Obert Mpofu, the Minister of Transport Cde Joram Gumbo and the Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Cde July Moyo to join hands and revoke licences for transporters overloading passengers.

We discovered that the state is perverting the Traffic Act, beside this the Government is also subverting the Road Motor Transport Act under the United Nations Agreement on International Transport Treaty Agreement and other International statutes. If this is done it will tally with the stated laws and regulations.

The Government is there to protect the public like the shepherd does with his flock. These Acts were enacted by the President and the Parliament of Zimbabwe but they are also being violated by the state instead of protecting the public.

Our survey showed that an average six people die on our roads daily and 18 people are injured daily. These are only recorded cases, what more of those that are not recorded. This means that the number of people that die on the roads is obviously higher than this. Is is my view that if the Government fails to take stern measures to enforce the law more people are going to die on our roads due to failure by the Government and responsible authorities to take remedial action. Let this information circulate to others, it is going to save us all.

To those who want to have more information be free to contact your faithful servant, Mr Paul Makiwa the Secretary General of the Zimbabwe Passengers Association on 0712561134/0778137401. Be informed to transform.

Hope and trust to meet you in the next episode. Wish you safe travel all the times.

Paul Makiwa