Kabaza Operators in running battles with the Police in Thyolo

There was a commotion in Thyolo district between the Police and Kabaza Operator following the police’s decision to confiscate motorcycle taxis.

On Tuesday, during morning hours, police confiscated all motorcycles meant for kabaza following the government’s order that motorcycles should be registered.

This development did not go well with the motorcycle taxi operators who in turn decided to protest.

In retaliation, the police dispersed all protestors by firing teargas which affected all business people at Thyolo Boma market but this did not materialize as protestors kept on demonstrating.

Protestors then went beyond police lines and started pelting stones into officers’ houses.

The Police Mobile Force was later called in to control the angry mob.

In an interview, one of the Kabaza operators Alex John, whose motorcycle has not been seized, said police stormed their rank and confiscated motorcycles of everyone at the rank.

“They just came and start grabbing motorcycles saying we have to register them. But the government could have reversed this decision because we rely on these motorcycles in order to put something on the table.

“We pay school fees through Kabaza business, then if they take what we rely on how are we going to survive?. Jobs are scarce so we opted for kabaza as an alternative way of getting something to survive,” said John.

He added: “Better at first they said we must have a helmet and we were following but this decision to register, have a license and the tariff attached is a burden to us.”