Motorists on Malawian roads have complained that traffic officers are becoming aggressive, even risking the lives and properties of the motorists, in an attempt to get bribes.
In a Facebook post, a motorist complained of the behavior of traffic officers at Kips in Blantyre.
“Have your doors locked and pulled when the officers stop you at Kips,” she wrote.
She further complained that the officers jump into people’s car without request and once in there start making demands and abuse their authority.
Her complaint resonated with different motorists and even passengers who testified of the unruly nature of the officers.
One motorist expressed how a female officer jumped into her car and demanded money saying she had a sick relative at the hospital.
“In Chilomoni, a police officer banged on my car because I refused to have her handle my driving licence,” commented another person.
The incidents seem to not only be affecting Blantyre as another person indicated that she met an unruly officer in Mzimba.
“The officer just removed keys from my ignition because I had no money to give for a bribe,” commented another person saying she had to walk a distance to the banks to get money to pay the officer.
Another complained that an officer stopped her son and jumped into the car to demand MK20,000 bribe over offences she could not tell.
Coronavirus measures have seen a reduction in traffic on Malawian roads. Often, traffic officers use the roads as a personal fundraising venture.
