Harare Zimbabwe (News of the South)-The recent ban of combis from entering the Central Business District has been reversed in the aftermath of public complaints with Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister July Moyo apologising to the public.
In a statement the Minister accused the Harare City Council of making hurried decisions without due consultations on the feasibility of the Operation Restore Order.
“The Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing in its capacity as the authority in charge of adminstration of the Urban Councils Act regrets the hurried decision taken by the Harare City Council to immediately ban commuter omnibuses and kombis from entering the CBD without firs providing a viable and inexpensive alternative for the commuting public to use”
“Accordingly and in full view of the decentralised function that the HCC would ordinarily exercise by legislative delegation, I as the responsible Minister, hereby reverse and rescind with immediate effect the said decision and subsequent announcement by the City banning commuter omnibuses an kombis access to the CBD”
“My directive has been issued in light of the fact that the Council’s decision and action are not in the interest of the inhabitants of the Council Area and the Harare Metropolitan Province,” he said.
The operation, which started on Tuesday, resulted in the continuation of running battles between kombis and police whilst commuters had to walk into the CBD from peripheral areas were they were being dropped off.
According to Council spokesperson Mr Michael Chideme the CBD ranks of Copacabana, Charge Office and Fourth would no longer be in use under the operation with kombis utilising the Coventry and Seke ranks among others.
The change however resulted in kombis dropping people on the periphery of the CBD instead of the said ranks and commuters having to foot their way for the remainder of the journey into the city centre.
Meanwhile Harare Mayor Bernard Manyenyeni has distanced HCC from the operation saying it was being done by the Ministry of Local Government Public Works and National Housing together with Joint Operations Committee of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces.
“The project by the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing with the Joint Operations Committee of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces to de-congest the Central Business District of Harare with the removal or re-location of kombi mini-buses commenced in earnest today.”
“I have received generally negative feedback in these first 8 hours of this project. It has created many unintended outcomes and inconveniences to the general public of Harare.”
“In particular the issue of distances from drop-off points and the additional bus shuttle costs to a hard-pressed community,” he said.
“We are also alive to possible resistance by kombi drivers and the general inconvenience of this planned model.”
“We are concerned and urge the Ministry to suspend the Operation until revised or modified to remove the problems encountered so far.”
“I urge all affected people to exercise restraint in handling any inconvenience faced so far.
“As the policy makers we would want to be more involved in any future plans for projects of this nature within Harare.”
“We look forward to an immediate suspension of this exercise,” he said.
Harare City Cuncil tried to implement the same project in 2004 when it built the Coventry Holding bay but the project failed to bear positive results, resulting in the bay becoming a white elephant.
Combis have been accused of congesting the CBD with their haphazard driving and parking making the city centre a dangerous place.
The situation has been worsened by many vendors who have also refused to relocate to designated selling points.
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