Suburban
SOME of Harare West’s major roads are witnessing dangerous driving at alarming proportions putting the lives of motorists, passengers, pedestrians and other road users at risk.
Suburban Reporter
Solomon Mujuru Drive (formerly Kirkman Road) and Lomagundi (now called Nemakonde) are witnessing the careless driving by private motorists, public passengers vehicles, pirate taxis and even by some drivers from Government-owned companies and departments.
It is clear reckless driving is now a cancer on these two major roads in Harare West with fears the chaos will get worse once the new Parliament Building and the new city being built in Mt Hampden become operational. The new Parliament and new city will mean more traffic between Mt Hampden and Harare and residents of Harare West shudder to think what the situation will be like then.
Over the past few weeks Marlborough residents have been complaining about the reckless driving they have been witnessing along Lomagundi Road and Sam Nujoma Extension.
Residents said even private motorists were also driving with such reckless abandon they are were now matching drivers of the troublesome pirate taxis commonly known as mushika-shikas and kombi drivers.
The residents called for the arrest of the dangerous drivers before they maim fellow road users or even prematurely end their lives.
“It’s really sad that we find ourselves in such a situation, where ordinary drivers, who are even driving luxurious cars are driving recklessly on the roads. In the past we would know that we would only get such wayward behaviour on the roads from the troublesome mushika-shikas. But now ordinary drivers have joined in and it’s a menace along Lomagundi Road and Second Street Extension. We call upon law enforcement agents to take charge and make an example of these few bad apples before the situation gets out of hand,” said a resident.
“When its peak hours, these motorists will be driving on the middle lane, and others making their own lanes, so much that a two-way road will become a four way, or shockingly, even five ways, coming from any side and in the process breaking all the road rules,” said another resident.
No driver can ever anticipate these reckless drivers’ next move hence they are risk to all motorists.
Along Solomon Mujuru Drive wild driving continues with police recently arresting more than 150 motorists along the road, Chiremba Road and the Mabvuku turn off for driving against oncoming traffic.
The arrest of the careless drivers along Kirkman Road confirmed it as one of the dangerous roads in the capital city because in August police summoned 23 motorists to report to them for allegedly going through a red traffic light at the corner of the road and Monavale Road in one day.
Zimbabwe Republic Police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi urged motorists to respect the law saying it was disturbing that some of the reckless drivers were driving Government vehicles.
The motorists were arrested within two hours along Chiremba road, Mabvuku turn-off and Kirkman Road (which has been renamed Solomon Mujuru Drive) for disregarding traffic laws.
“We can confirm that we have arrested more than 150 people for reckless driving this morning (last Friday) and most of them were driving against one way, while endangering other road users. As police we want to warn the motorists to exercise caution and respect road regulations,” Asst Comm Nyathi was quoted saying in the media.
Negligent driving is now a big problem in Harare, with the police blaming the behaviour on unlicenced drivers and reckless drivers who wantonly disregard traffic rules and regulations.
In a public notice in August, police released the names of the drivers, the registration numbers and models of the cars they were driving when they allegedly committed the offence.
According to the police, the motorists were captured on camera (in video and picture form) allegedly committing the crime.
