By A Correspondent| Senior police officials at Harare Central Police have been sucked in kombi wars following revelations that commuter omnibuses from Greater Harare Association for Commuter Omnibus (GHACO) are picking passengers at undesignated points while others are arrested.

On Monday, our news crew witnessed several GHACO affiliated kombis picking passengers at corner Samora Machel and Chinhoyi Avenue while a police truck from Provincial Reaction Team was parked just adjacent.

Other kombis were being chased away in other undesignated points such as Bata Mbuya Nehanda Avenue and at Julius Nyerere Avenue where Chitungwiza passengers board.

“GHACO officials are now the law because they bribe the police. A senior police officer (name withheld) is deploying the provincial reaction team to protect his interests. GHACO is paying a protection fee of $3000 per week to the police,” said a disgruntled transport operator.

Several kombis from other transport association have been impounded and are being kept at Milton Police Station.

“Those police officers who have arrested GHACO commuter omnibuses have been transferred to work to parliament. They want to dominate all routs in Harare and they are intimidating other operators,” said the source.

“Most of the owners of impounded vehicles are being denied their cars after finishing the processes and paying the fines. They are being forced to go and testify that they were giving other associations money,” he added.

It has come to light that over 1500 commuter omnibuses pay a monthly fee of $60 to the Greater Harare Association for Commuter Omnibus.

Passengers and pedestrians said their lives is being endangered by the ‘cat and mouse’ of police and drivers.

Recently, a Glen Norah man was killed when he was run by a kombi which was running away from the police.

With overwhelming evidence, GHACO chairperson Richard Katsvairo denied any wrongdoing.

He emphasized that their vehicles operate from legal ranks with all necessary operating papers issued by the government.

“On the contrary to what you witnessed, our vehicles operate from legal ranks and have all the relevant operating papers issued by the government through the Ministries of Transport and Ministry of Local Authorities in Harare Metropolitan Province under the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution,” Katsvairo stated.

He encouraged individuals to report any GHACO-branded vehicle operating at unauthorized locations, pledging to handle such instances professionally.

Katsvairo said that GHACO is a business and not a political association, disallowing political activism under their brand.

He urged law enforcers to enforce compliance requirements for passenger safety and implored passengers to report any violations through provided contact numbers.