The only portion of the public that enjoyed the hey-day were motorcyclists known as bodaboda who made fortunes out of mostly disparate individuals, students and civil servants by sky-rocketing fares to schools and workplaces.
In Dar es salaam, bodaboda motorcyclists took advantage of the mayhem by ferrying people to the city centre where they never dared to go ever since the city law restricting their movement was enacted more than six months ago.
Mbeya the only city whose drivers reportedly defied the move by their counterparts, had nevertheless some of its people not immune to the countrywide shockwave as the Dar es Salaam-bound passengers who had spent the night stranded at Kibaha failed to enter the city amid fears they might be stoned by the striking drivers on their arrival. It was a concern that was shared by a number of other passengers from every corner of the country who got stranded at Kibaha.
They had been informed over the telephone about the treatment given to those who defied the collective decision in Dar es salaam.
There have been reports of several incidents of attacks on drivers who would use their vehicles to carry passengers.
The strikers had been pressing the government into changing an allegedly oppressive and groundless by law that required them to undertake two-week driving training and pay Sh560,000 fee to win renewal of licence after every three years.
They were also protesting against the allegedly unfounded penalties including fines from the traffic police and poorly designed working contracts or lack of it.
It was a mess at Ubungo Bus Terminal, the major outlet to upcountry as thousands of passengers thronged the station in vain looking for means to far away destinations.
Amidst the havoc the striking drivers refused to speak to the police who had been trying in vain to keep order, demanding the release of their unionist leaders who had been detained on Thursday.
Deputy Secretary of the Drivers Association Mbwoka Mwakitwile told the police his people would not speak to the police until the Deputy Police Commissioner and Chief of Special Operations, DCP Simon Sirro who was at the terminal ordered the release of their leaders.
“Our stance is that we wont speak to any government leader until ours are released since they are our spokesmen,” he said.
…Police surrender
However, ACP Sirro was reluctant to assure the drivers attributing the matter to Magomeni Police Station where the unionist leaders were detained.
It was just a while before the police would run rampage throwing random tear gas attacking all the people including and children in and around the terminal.
A total of about 20 tear gas and 10 ammunitions were used to disperse people.
The Dar es Salaam Police special zone commander Suleiman Kova who appeared at the scene also failed to settle the matter with the strikers who then demanded to meet the transport minister.
They instead spoke to the Minister for Labour and Employment, Gaudensia Kabaka who arrived at the scene to talk about their contracts with the Surface and Marine Transportation Regulatory Authority (Sumatra).
Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner Said Meck Sadick said that they have tried to settle the matter since 2013 but in vain.
“I didn’t even know if the problem still existed,” he said.
...Minister gives in
Finally Minister Kabaka gave in to the drivers’ demands and called off the new proposed program of renewing driving licenses for drivers with ‘E’ ‘C1’ ‘C2’ ‘C3’ and ‘C’.
“From now on you will go back to the previous procedures and not the new one,” she said.
Also Commander Kova assured drivers that there will be no more fines imposed by traffic police.
...How bus drivers’ strike impacted the city
Dar es Salaam city was yesterday in confusion regarding transport in the wake of a strike by upcountry bus drivers opposed to a new government regulation on renewing license. Passengers were seen at different bus stops not knowing when they would get buses to their respective destinations.
They called a strike to pressure government change ia new procedure for drivers to undergo lessons for one week after license expiry and of acquiring a new license after payment of Sh 500,000
At Mbagala police vans patrolled the area to calm down groups of drivers who were furious about the decision and the police tried to manage the situation to avoid destruction of property or harm to peoples.
Other bus drivers hid their vehicles so that they could be safe from furious drivers were intent on smashing them. People were running about to avoid the angry groups about the government’s decision, saying it was meant to undermine them.
No buses were seen to operate in the area and people were held to a ransom, so to speak, complaining that the situation was unfair and unjust to them.
A lady, identified as Amina who is an entrepreneur said she doesn’t know when she will be at work, given the circumstance, which was not ideal for her business.
“I am late to work, the government should resolve this and end it quickly,” she stated
At Makumbusho Bus Station, a few buses could be observed operating and people scattering around waiting to mount them.
A pupil, aged about ten years old, seemed tired and exhausted, said he had been at the bus station since 7am but he has been unable to catch one bus routed to Mbezi. He was unsure whether he would make it to school on time.
Next to him was a woman, waiting for a bus to Bagamoyo asked: “I really don’t know why they are few buses today,” she asked.
Motorcycles were charging people Sh5,000 from Makumbusho to Morocco equivalent to two kilometres comparing to Sh3000 , likewise to Tricycle (Bajaj) who were charging Sh6,000 to Morocco, which previously was charged Sh3,000. The buses that were on the roads did not hike bus fare rather, they maintained the usually bus fare status in all the routes.
It was more or less quiet on the Ali Hassan Mwinyi Road where you would think it was a holiday as few buses were not as full as on work days.
At Posta Bus a similar situation prevailed with a few buses coming and going at the bus stop while overloading passengers.
Some buses were seen operating on Makumbusho /Posta the route, but buses operating to Gongo la Mboto, Mbagala and Ubungo could not be seen.
In Dar es Salaam city centre there was no traffic jam but the situation changed around 2pm when more buses were seen. In Jangwani area,Morogoro Road, group of people were walking on foot from Magomeni Mapipa to Kariakoo and Muhimbili for lack or shortage of transport. At Kariakoo businessmen were complaining, saying they made no money like usually days.
Juma Abas said they received few customers yesterday and price of commodities went high due to transport problem.
This reporter bought a bunch of carrots for Sh1,000 which was sold at Sh500..
The market there was neither busy, congested crowd nor the usually business activities. Ally Salim who was selling underwears said they opened their shop at 9am but they usually open at 8am. “We were struggling to transport our luggage to the market,” he stated
At Muhimbili Hospital, the situation was critical fro patients who received late treatment. One visitor said he was late to bring food to the patient, but the nuse mercifully allowed him given the current situation.
A patient said they were told by the nurses to wait for the doctors who were delayed by transport.
Despite all this, it was day for good business for taxi drivers. A taxi driver known by a single name James refused to take passengers to Gongo la Mboto or Mbagala, claiming the situation to be unpleasant there..
He said angry drivers were beating them for taking passengers in their vehicles.
A passenger who took a taxi to Kariakoo was charged Sh5,000, when usually the fare would be Sh3,000. A women named Mama Maria says Noah Bus charged them Sh1,500 from Zakiem Bus stop to Muhimbili.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
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