Kombi Driver Jailed 2 Years For Driving Into Oncoming Traffic On Harare Highway
A kombi driver who caused a scare during rush hour on the Harare-Bulawayo highway by driving into oncoming traffic has been jailed for two years. The rare sentencing has been welcomed by police and citizens alike, who hope this marks a turning point in the fight against reckless driving.
Caught After Defying Police Orders
H-Metro reports that Paul Tsiga was caught after a dramatic incident on the morning of July 15, 2025, when he drove a Toyota Hiace commuter omnibus on the pavement before turning into the path of oncoming traffic near a Petro Trade service station.
He was ordered to stop by police officers but instead made a U-turn and sped into vehicles travelling in the opposite direction.
Provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Luckmore Chakanza, confirmed the events:
“Circumstances were that on July 15, 2025, at around 0710hrs, the motorist was driving a Toyota Hiace, registration number ADZ 6505, on a pavement separating the dual carriageway of Harare-Bulawayo Road, due east towards the CBD.
Upon reaching a certain point, opposite a Petro Trade service station, the motorist was ordered to stop and instead of complying, he made a U-turn and drove against oncoming traffic.
He was trapped by traffic proceeding and was subsequently arrested.”
Tsiga was brought before the Mbare Magistrates’ Court on July 16, 2025, where he was sentenced to two years in prison for reckless driving. He was also fined US$100 (approx. R1,800) for failing to comply with police orders.
Police And Public Applaud Court Action
The Zimbabwe Republic Police welcomed the court’s decision. Inspector Chakanza said:
“Police in Harare applaud the judiciary following the arrest and conviction of a motorist for reckless driving.”
Cases of commuter omnibus drivers receiving actual prison sentences for dangerous driving are rare in Zimbabwe, particularly in instances involving driving into oncoming traffic. Citizens and safety advocates have hailed this judgment as a long-overdue sign that law enforcement and the courts are beginning to treat road safety more seriously.
A senior traffic officer who declined to be named told H-Metro:
“We are hopeful this is the beginning of a new era. These kombi drivers do what they want on the roads. People are tired. This judgment gives us hope.”
Background Of Chaos And Carnage
The case comes amid growing calls for stricter action against reckless public transport drivers, especially kombi operators and illegal “mushikashika” drivers.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa recently lamented the state of Zimbabwe’s roads, revealing that 4,069 people were killed in traffic accidents in 2024, nearly double the 2023 figure.
“The high rate of indiscipline on our roads, which has resulted in the loss of countless lives due to road carnage, is disturbing,” the President said in March 2025, calling for electronic enforcement systems.
The President’s remarks echoed growing public frustration. In a widely shared op-ed, The Herald columnist Isdore Guvamombe wrote:
“Every time you drive, you survive by luck. That is very bad. Kombi drivers have made traffic laws illegal. Life has become cheap.”
The jailing of Tsiga has reignited hope that the courts will begin to crack down on lawless drivers.
A resident of Warren Park, who witnessed the commotion, said:
“That kombi could have killed people. We see this every day. This man going to jail is the best news I’ve heard in a while.”
This marks one of the few recorded instances where a kombi driver has been jailed for driving into oncoming traffic without causing a fatality — a move many are hoping will set a precedent.
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The post Kombi Driver Jailed 2 Years For Driving Into Oncoming Traffic In Harare appeared first on iHarare News.
