COMMUTER omnibuses have become more of conveyors of messages than transporting people.
On some kombis, international football players are hyped, with big pictures pasted at the back, on others, it’s the Strait of Hormuz or Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe’s deportation from South Africa.
Roll back to 2014 when former First Lady Grace Mugabe entered the political arena, becoming the women’s league boss.
“Munhu wese kuna Amai” became the party’s punchline.
It became the slogan as supporters canvassed for her support.
Stickers and banners were pasted on buses, including the public transporter Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (Zupco) buses, as well as private vehicles as she conducted her Meet the People rallies across the country.
Keep Reading
- Grace Mugabe’s ex-husband Goreraza dies
- Corruption watch: Reasons why Zanu PF is a thieving cult
- Mnangagwa shrinking democratic space
- Grace Mugabe’s ex-husband Goreraza dies
In 2024, Passion Java did the same with his Night of Wonders project.
So ambitious was Java that he printed posters, pasted them on public transport and even bussed congregants to the giant National Sports Stadium.
Lately, quite a number of commuter omnibuses are spotting stickers that promote the controversial Constitutional Amendment No. 3 Bill (CAB3).
Those pushing for the Bill to sail through seems to have capitalised on the public transport system, but none of the anti CAB3 are doing the same.
NewsDay Weekender interviewed some of the commuter omnibus operators to get the motive
“It shows we are up to date with current affairs. Some people think mahwindi haana kufunda [touts are not learned], but vazhinji ma Form 4 nema Form 6 [many reached Form 4 and Form 6],” said Mashagi, a popular tout at Copacabana terminus in Harare.
“Hatisi kuenda zvedu kwaTsambe but titori bho. [Yes, we did not go to St Augustine High School but we are OK with what we have].
“Sometimes we do it to market our routes. During the events such as the Zimbabwe Agricultural Show (ZAS) musical shows or rallies, we brand our buses so that people know our destinations without hustles.”
Asked if those promoting their events pay for their services, Tanaka said not all of them pay.
“Some give you a token of appreciation in form of money or promotional material such as T-shirts and caps,” Mashagi added.
“As I have mentioned earlier, sometimes we do it to promote our routes.
“Sometimes we do it for protection, especially during the election periods.”
Asked if they will put the same stickers denouncing CAB3, a commuter omnibus operator Tanaka could not give a convincing answer.
“Ahh mdara, mukugara munyika ipi [My brother, which country are you living in?]”
But for Alex, a tout from Chitungwiza, its their duty to promote CAB3.
“We will openly support that Bill. We want the President to continue with his good works,” he said.
“We don’t mind even if all the omnibuses have those posters.
“We don’t even are about what those opposing are saying and what they are doing.”
However, convenor of the Constitution Defenders Forum, Tendai Biti, dismissed the move as nonsensical, citing the uneven playing field by the ruling Zanu PF party.
“Well, it’s their democratic right to do that and we cannot stop them,” he said.
“They stopped us from holding meetings to engage freely with the people.
“We cannot risk commuters and those in the transport business as their vehicles will be burnt or harrased.”
Added Biti: “If they can beat [constitutional lawyer Lovemore] Madhuku, what more can they do to ordinary citizens?
“We are in not in any other country. We are in Zimbabwe.”
NewsDay Weekender put it to Biti that some years back, the opposition MDC party had its posters pasted on Tauya Bus Coaches and he said that will not happen under the current leadership.
“You are talking of the [late former President Robert] Mugabe era.
“Mugabe could allow us to have a referendum.
“We could do rallies. We will take the legal route to stop this, not exposing our people,” Biti said.
Madhuku, who is representing war veterans opposing CAB3, concurred with Biti that the best way to confront this is through the legal route.
“Them doing that is pressing the panic button. They know the Bill is unpopular and Zimbabweans don’t like it,” Madhuku said.
“We can’t call that a campaign. It’s a cover up. They should allow for a referendum.
“We cannot endanger people or commuters by having posters pasted on public vehicles.”
He added: “We are taking legal steps towards this. The people already know what they want and how the process should be like.
“If all the steps we are taking are met, it [CAB3] will reach a dead end.”
While the nation expects commuter omnibuses to carry passengers to their destinations, politicians see them as convenient conveyors of political messages.