Blantyre on fire: Business grind to stand still as minibus operators protest
Business is at stand still in the commercial city of Blantyre as minibus drivers and conductors are staging a protest against newly introduced strict regulations enforced by the traffic police department.
Despite Minibus Owners Association of Malawi (Moam) condemning the protest on Thursday, commuters woke up to a surprise this morning as no minibus is operating within Blantyre city and people are being forced to walk to work or their designated business places.
The situation is currently getting out of hand in some parts of the city especially in Bangwe and on Zingwangwa-Chilobwe route as the disgruntled minibus drivers and conductors have started blocking roads with stones while burning tyres, stopping vehicles that are offering to ferry stranded commuters.
They are chanting on the roads while questioning other vehicles carrying many passengers on board.
Nyasa Times can confirm that police have rushed in to calm the situation by firing teargas, which might compound the situation.
However, some minibuses have defied the protest and are operating especially on Ndirande-Limbe route.
According to information Nyasa Times has gathered, the drivers and conductors met yesterday and agreed to abandon work inorder to force authorities to ease on them especially on the new road operating regulations.
In one of Whatsapp circulated messages amongst the drivers and conductors, they claim that now are being forced to pay K20,000 or face 5-year jail term if found carrying maize bags or any heavy luggage; to pay K150,000 or face 5-year-jail term for exceeding sitting capacity; to pay K20,000 or 5-year-jail term for wrong parking.
“Izi zabwera kamba kuchuluka kwa ngozi mMalawi muno (this is so due to increased accidents on the roads of Malawi),” reads in part the message.
Parliament last month endorsed a proposal stopping buses from carrying standing passengers and that all buses should be fitted with seat belts.
The proposal also demands that minibuses should only be operating on designated routes identified by color code and route numbering and that drivers or conductors should face hefty fines or jail term for failing to adhere to regulations.
Moam secretary general Coxley Kamange told the media that they have negotiated with the police so that “any minibus operator who will choose to do his normal daily routine should be protected”.
Meanwhile, in Lilongwe and Mzuzu the situation is reported to be normal.
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Chakwera palibe chomwe angachite chanzeru chotukula ziko lino ali ndi zofowoka zambiri kuposatso amene mukummokayo
You stupid minibus drivers, conductors and touts, just stop driving the minibuses if you cannot maintain law and order. And if you don’t drive, you will fail to steal from owners and you will not drink n’kalabongo resulting into peace on Malawi roads…..kkkkkkkkk
Nanuso a yosefe mateyu ….nanga zaku delebeni zikugwilizana pati….kkkkkk kufuna abale aziwe kuti muli ku south africa….kusenza mabelo amabulangete.
This will enrich traffic cops it will encourage corruption. Traffic cops will overlook most punishable offences in pursuit of bribes. Officials have not thought this through. Our police officers have never enforced the laws efficiently they are there to fill up their pockets. Deal with that first or else the laws are a waste of time
Countrymen,
Let me advise police that if not handled properly, this matter is likely to catch more fire as operators in other districts may want to join in the protests. There is need for the police to exercise precaution in all decisions that they make on this slippery matter. To policy makers, let me advise that time has come for the nation to stop copying policies just for the sake of doing it. I have a strong feeling that the multi-party dispensation is proving a failure to ordinary Malawians because successive governments have been experimenting too much. The UDF government is the one that experimented on the current issues. Minibus transport.
Those who are older will remember that 23 years ago Malawi did not have minibuses. We, instead, used to have the city line – a chain of big buses majorly owned by government-linked agencies and passenger safety was good just like we used to have a growing railway system that kept prices of commodities low by transporting goods cheaply. Sadly, the post-one-party era brought in a lot of changes that have started to backfire on us. The coming of minibuses in 1994-1995 has not only made our lives cheap through road accidents but also cut down the lifespan of our roads too short. Minibuses stop anywhere the driver has seen a potential customer. As a result, road shoulders and passenger lanes are eaten away by minibuses as they stop at undesignated points to collect people and the cost is passed on us the taxpayers. Unfortunately, most of us are not able to connect this loss to the high taxes that we are contributing to the national coffers. Many of us are also not aware that the hundreds of deaths on our streets are a by-product of bad policies that we adopted several years back. Sure, minibuses have enabled many Malawians to participate in the national economy but their contribution has been robbed by the high number of accidents and the high cost of road maintenance particularly in urban centers. I remember that it was elites who had traveled to or lived in East Africa who insisted that allowing minibuses operate in the country would greatly boost the national economy by bringing more people into the transport sector. And, in the past 23 years many have joined the sector! But, 23 years down the line, where is Malawi? Are we any better than 1993? Are minibus operators happy or are they not just working for insurance companies, government Acct. No.1 and traffic policemen to twist their arms day in and day out while on the roads? Search me.
My suggestion is that we Malawians need to rethink our policies including those regulating the transport industry. For example, why should we use tracts to ferry fuel from Tanzania and yet we can just rehabilitate the railway system and still be able to land our fuel in Malawi without must cost? Is it not that we just want to see rich people become richer and poor people poorer like it has happened in the past 23 years?
I personally refuse to be among those who want to see things get rotten and remain quiet. Like the Afro-barometer has just told us, this country is very fast losing direction on almost all aspects of life. I think that Malawi needs a new set of leaders who are committed to ensuring that the majority of Malawians enjoy the fruits of independence that our fore-fathers bequeathed on this country some 53 years ago. Malawi needs policies that will uplift the majority poor out of the chains of poverty. We need people who will revamp this strategic sector.
Just my peace of mind.
Kent Y.G. Mphepo – Blantyre
I am sure this is a golden opportunity for Malawi Railways ( or whatever you call yourselves these days ) to introduce commuter services between Blantyre and Limbs, particularly at peak periods.
Regulations governing mini bus operations have been there all the time. The problem is enforcement and I think the traffic police are also to blame especially considering some bus owners are police officers.
you need to grow up some of you. mukulira za kundende instead of thinking kuti one wachibale wanu azamwalira pangozi becoz of these fools of minibuses not following regulations. Thats a good move. bravo!!!!! mmalo mo sangala kuti atleast road accidents will be reduced. amisala inu eti
Malawi desperately needs a proper transport system in the form of buses and trains. Minibuses are an absolute menace on the roads and they clog up city and town centres. Apart from being unsafe and dangerous, how many of their drivers have actually passed their driving test without bribing the examiner? Good roads and a well regulated transport system are an essential piece of infra-structure necessary for Malawi to progress. Politicians need to get their act together and do something about the transport system in Malawi. Of course it doesn’t affect them as they are driven around in big, fancy 4x4s and never need to use a minibus to get about. Do these politicians really care about improving their country for the benefit of all its citizens, or is it a case of ‘I’m alright Jack’?
Inu Abale, there was time when similar issue came up again in Nyasatimes. I replied that the stupid move came with Bakili Muluzi where he liberalized business operations. Ndiye ma MP ndi ambiri a mijomba bought minibuses. These are the people samva malamulo because this president messed up everything.
In Zimbabwe, in 2005 this minibus nonsense happened , but the MP of the City Constituency moved the Parliament and Comrade Mugabe ordered ZUPCO to order 15 Seat Minibuses. to ply in Town. These nonsense guys were kicked out. Zomwezi ma MP ku Malawi small minibuses business ndi Mbuli za mijombazi.
Kick them out of town. Bring Stage Coach or National Bus Company osati za a Muli anuwa. Real National Bus Company.
Ku Area 25 yesterday June 22, 2017 around 17:00 Hours, from Cross Road Via Area 49, they were charging MK500.00 and they were rejoicing. Mulira, Mulira. I was there. And it was MK400.00 Via Kanengo. Can you imagine this nonsense. From Area 30
up to Roberts to Area 25, they were charging MK300.00. Zititengera kuti izi???
We need MPS who have Welfare of the people at heart to move Parliament to pass a critical decision and the President who can make a decisive decision on such matters.
May God help us!!!!!!!!!
Who is protesting? Mini bus owners or mini bus operators(drivers, conductors, touts)? If its operators, just leave them like that, they will return to work within five days – those chaps live from hand to mouth, they don’t sustain their expensive and reckless lifestyles from their wages.
If its owners, call them to a round table and let them propose measures that will ensure commuters safety and comfort, and of course instill discipline in their workforce.
Its only President Bingu who knew how to treat these guys right…..ignored them. In two days, they were back on the road with no change to the prescribed rules and regulations. Come Amayi president, back to square one. Azimayiwa nawonso! (these women presidents…!)
Nose inu mavuto simumawaziwa.even mu cell enanu simunangonemo.tizilowa mu cell bcoz talakwila Lamulo la pa mseu?fik atakhala m,bale wako wamangidwa bcoz ananyamula thumba la chimanga?or exceeding?dats too much.
Vote yanga wabesa. Chakwela basii.
Mk
Ndiye Chakwerayo adzalola zimenezo?
My fellow passengers it’s high time we should also stop boarding these minibusses, these stupid minibus drivers and conductors should know that we are human beings not baggages….let’s push government to bring back cityine buses in all our cities, infact our roads will look nice without these minibuses.
Please we beg you our Traffic Authorities and you City Authorities never bow down to these evil drivers and conductors there’s nothing good that they do…bring us big busses back on our city roads.
thats true. and most of these drivers and conductors are idiots. my fellow Malawians lets push our govt to stop these munibuses. we want buses in our townships. we’re sick and tired of minibuses
I fully support the rules that the Government has implimented. But don’t forget many people travel with a purpose, I mean for example, one travelling from remote village, to collect chimanga , how will he/she ferry it to Blantyre for example? Please put also a DELIBERATE policy on accompanying laguages and food stuffs.
I comend the Road traffic directorate and Road traffic Police for the good job. I know in any work place there’s pilfrage.
chigalimoto
Press Corporation Ltd you contributed immensely to the economy of Malawi together with ADMARC and Malawi Development Corporation from 1967 to 1979 when monetary Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew at the rate of 7.4% annually. Please establish public transport to compete with these dirty but uncomfortable minibuses in Blantyre, Lilongwe, Zomba and Mzuzu. You have the financial muscle. Learn from Kigali in Rwanda where passengers use electronic visa cards as a ticket that enables the company to account for all the money passengers have paid for a single trip. Cash is not used. Please talk to those in government. Those commuting to and from work should rely on your transport system. By the way, where is Press Transport Company Ltd?
Lack of public buses and trains to ferry passengers within our cities. During Kamuzu era, we used to have city line buses. But the coming in of Muluzi brought along these minibuses that are messing up in our roads. You will see a minbus overtaking you and then parking right in front of you without even pulling off the road to pave way for other road users. it has been too much
Some will opt to pay the fine and then drive on arguing i have already been fined somewhere,please let this nonsense stop and at the next spot if caught perpetrating the same, let them be fined again and records kept. For repeat offenders please just revoke their driving licenses.
My suggestion is road traffic and police traffic should engage themselves jointly to do random inspection on buses and minibuses.
Including checking fittines of drivers. Check there driving record.
I’m saying this because the main cause of accidents is driver being an fit to drive passengers or vehicle not fit.
Capacity should be on the second. You may agree with me most operators buy second tires from venders and use them on their buses. MRA and Malawi beraw of standards including consumers association of Malawi has also a role to play, buy making sure that imported tires from are not too fake.
Thanks
Ken Mmanga USA
This is the result of lack of public transportation in cities. Minibuses are not supposed to be operating in cities. The coming to power of Bakili Muluzi messed things up, resulting in end of city buses and the proliferation of Minibuses.
A Malawi heheheh what is this?shame
Ma driver a minibus kuba too much. Good job Road Traffic!!
Stupid country full of ignoramuses! We cant develop like this!
Its about time a ma minibus very careless ndipo please malamulo amenewa agwile ntchito.Problem is a traffic and police adzitenga bribes and this rule will not work.
A major change or shift in the traffic control systems requires a gradual and sober sensitization process that involves all parties. Government has that duty thru respective departments to do that. At this moment, no government could ever backtrack on the agenda. People must abide by the conditions set in place to save the fast forwarded carnage on the roads. Oh! When shall this stop…this crying for the loved ones who die on the roads. Again, just this morning…….
Why protest? It is high time minibus operators understood that they don’t own our lives let alone have the right to terminate our lives untimely through overloading and reckless driving behaviors. These regulations are intended for safety and sanity on the road. The only problem though is that we don’t have robust transport system and as such the implementation of the new regulations will be compromised. Otherwise, I support the new development. In other countries, they follow transport operators follow strict rules and the enforcement is carried to the last letter. In Malawi, life is at the mercy of the driver who has little or no sense of respect for human life . All they value is money rather than the passengers. I support government but please find a way of increasing transport facilities on our roads
Mudya chiyani inu poti malipiro anu a daily ndi womwewo?Lero mupitanso ndi ka bread kunyumba? Muthetsapo mabanja apa. Kodi capacity ya minibus anaonjezerapo ya matumba kapena matabwa? Mtengo wa thumba kufanana ndi wa munthu, kuba kokhakokha. Matabwa mumanyamula aja ndalama yake imafika kwa bwana?
Drivers and conductors for Min bus ndinu anthu achabe Pa Malawi pano. Zizikukwanani ndalama mumawa bera mabwana anu. Mmapanga ma profit ambiri komasimuyamika. Ku lilongwe ndiye Ma drivers ndi ma conductors akuba heavy a specially route ya area 25 ndi route ya area 49. Mitengo ayamba K 500 ena K600 what a shame . A boma tithandizeni anthuwa ndimbava akutibela tipezereni mayendendwe wotchipa ku area 49 and area 25. Chonde chonde tiganizireni aboma tikuvutika ndi mbavazi koopsa.
Its all over Blantyre townships, Kamba, Zingwangwa, Ndirande, Lunzu, Machinjiri
Its only Blantyre Central district, Highway that have peace
Its allover Blantyre townships, Kamba, Zingwangwa, Ndirande, Lunzu, Machinjiri
Its only Blantyre Central district, Highway that have peace
Why are drivers and conductors striking instead of owners? It means that these drivers and conductors are thieves. Akagule maminibus awo
is this what Rev. Chingota meant in his tuesdays’ press conference?
My friend from Zimbabwe was detained for a week in Durban for wrong parking. He was later fined 3,000 Rand (180,000 Malawi Kwacha) by court of law. I visited him while he was in detention. I witnessed his case. I lent him money to pay for the fine.
Kikkkkkkkk o0k?