Minibus Owners Association of Malawi (MOAM) has called on law enforcers in the country to remove minibus touts operating in various towns and cities of the country.
For a long time, there have been calls for minibus touts to stop operating in minibus stages due to issues of harassment of commuters and theft.
Minibus Owners Association of Malawi (MOAM) Secretary General Coxley Kamange said as an association they have been advocating for touts to leave bus stops but enforcers are sleeping on their job.
“MOAM has been advocating for these malpractices to stop. It seems the enforcing agencies are benefiting despite the outlawing of the law,” said Kamange.
He added that minibus touts force commuters to board minibuses and demand money from minibus driver without doing any work.
Commenting on the fuel crisis the country has been facing, Kamange said members of MOAM are failing to make profits due to the development.
“Sometimes we spend days without getting fuel and travel long distances thereby incurring extra costs,” he said.
Kamange has also highlighted that it is unfortunate that most minibus owners do not adjust minibus fares whenever fuel prices go down.
He added that as an association they have been asking their members to adjust minibus fares whenever fuel prices go down and the members comply positively.
Kamange has, however, asked government to empower minibus owners so that there should sanity on the roads of Malawi.
“Lack of political will, infrastructure and empowerment is making it hard for us and there is no level of playing ground when it comes to enforcement. For example, illegal taxis are allowed to operate as they are not fined yet we pay heavily,” he said.
