Legalise Zam Cabs??

Heavily laden wheelbarrows are a regular feature in the markets of Lusaka, popularly known as Zam cabs this mode of transport has been in existence in the capital for close to twenty years now.

Not only is this mode of transport beneficial to the many traders littered along the streets of Lusaka but it provides much needed self employment for the men who drive them.

 Davies Makumba has been driving a Zam Cab for close to 18 years, married with an eight (8) year old son his only source of income is the wheel barrow he pushes every day.

Every wheel barrow is individually marked to prevent confusion with some even having writings on them such as “God lives’ reminiscent of PSV buses.

Makumba manages to sustain his family and pay for accommodation in Lilanda though he does admit to his son not starting school yet.

 He bemoans the lack of employment in the country and says some Zam cab drivers are actually educated .

Makumba says sometimes traders take advantage of the fact that wheelbarrows are readily available and ill treat drivers by not paying them.

“Sometimes we will agree on a figure for them to pay us but when you go later on to collect your money they pay you less than agreed.” Makumba complains as the other Zam cab drivers agree with him.

He further explains that some traders are friendly with the police officers at the police post making  them arrogant enough to threaten any drivers that might insist on been paid.

Winet Kalusa, a Hardware shop owner at the Town Centre market refutes Makumba’s accusations saying it is not possible to not pay the drivers as they can be noisy if not pleased with their pay.

 He says this makes one pay them for fear of embarrassment in front of customers.

Mr Kalusa in turn says sometimes the same drivers if not watched carefully can steal ones goods.

“Very few of these men are trustworthy, you have to keep an eye on them.”  Says Kalusa

Makumba says that when they first started pushing the wheel barrows the number of drivers was few but now the number has increased making it hard to keep track of other drivers.

“At times we might be loading or off loading at a truck when some other drivers who we don’t know end up stealing the goods we have then people put the blame on us.”  

He says a solution to this would be to have the Zam cabs registered so they can know who is what the drivers term a ‘legal or illegal ‘driver.

Makumba seems to be the appointed chair person of the Zam cab drivers as his suggestion of shelters been built for the drivers is met with approval by the other drivers.

One of the drivers is Teddy Mabamba who says he has been driving a Zam cab for close to 10 years and as far as he is concerned he has never found any benefits driving one.

He says that his main desire is for him to get employed because he is tired of pushing a wheel barrow.

As another driver Moses Samson puts it; “We are getting older and need to have a steady source of income to support our families.”

But one cannot help but wonder the possibility of employing all the unskilled Zam cab drivers bearing in mind that most of them are not educated and lack any skills.

Christine Maulukila who has been trading in Town Centre Market for about 12 years believes that the Zam cabs do provide a cheap and convenient service for traders.

“They are more affordable than taxis and it is easier to book them because they can fit in the alleys of the market, obviously it is also impossible for me as a woman to carry the heavy loads .”  She says

For some residents the Zam cabs and their drivers can only be termed as a nuisance because as Chisala Mumba puts it Lusaka is crowded enough without having the drivers push you into a corner.

“They are rude and at times will even bump you with their wheel barrows causing extreme pain.” Ms Mumba says.

The Zam cab drivers are quick to defend themselves agreeing that there are a few bad eggs but that does not mean every one is bad.

A Zam cab proprietor who only chose to be identified as Jay J said that abuse of alcohol impairs the judgement of some saying that is why some of them will only excuse themselves after they are close to pedestrians in the pavements.

“ Its the same as driving a car, a bicycle or anything that requires concentration you should be not drinking, not only is it unsafe because you can be hit by a car but the reputation of all the Zam cab drivers is ruined. ”Jay J says          

                                                      

This rampant drinking has led to many suggestions by members of the public on how to ensure ‘professionalism’ amongst the drivers.

“Another solution is for them to be charged a minimal fee for them to operate that will make them more serious, sometimes you go to their ranks and you do not find any one there just the wheelbarrows packed.” He says 

Mrs Maulukila agrees saying that when the drivers are drunk they even increase their prices what was originally agreed on.

“When they get drunk it is hard to reason with them so you end up paying them more because you would like to avoid confrontations with them.” She says

Jay J says if the drivers had an association or authority to monitor them some bad elements would be fished out.

“Even we older drivers know that some operators can be a nuisance but if we had a sort of association to monitor us perhaps there would be a change.” He says

However, Lusaka City Council Public Relations Officer Henry Kapata says there is no likelihood of the drivers getting registered as they are in the category of street vendors.

Mr Kapata said the last time a survey was carried there were close to 1000 wheel barrow pushers in the City of Lusaka.

He said the drivers were wrong doers who would not be allowed to operate yin the Central Business District, but he also acknowledged that as there was a Presidential Directive the council has no jurisdiction concerning the drivers.

“We cannot allow them to be part of the system because they also dispose of waste indiscriminately and illegally.” Mr Kapata said

A Lusaka resident Given Chansa disagrees with Mr Kapata saying Zam Cab drivers provide a service to the people.

Ms Chansa says that it is vital for people to know that wheel barrows are not indigenous to Zambia with even developed countries in Europe having them.

“Scotland, Ireland and even Britain have had wheel barrow pushers and traders for centuries, the Government should just come up with a mechanism to register them. Imagine if their wheel barrows are taken away, we will have a lot of disgruntled young men on the streets.” She says 

For the 1000 men plying their wheel barrow business on the streets of the Greater City of Lusaka Ms Chansa is spot on.

To some they are a nuisance but they earn an honest income; rather than steal, rob or kill for a living these men have turned their fortunes around by running a rather profitable business.

Believe it or not their work runs on the same premise that taxis work on; the more trust worthy one is the larger his clientele.

So perhaps they are integral part of Lusaka’s small entrepreneurs, after all most of them own the wheel barrows they push.

The way forward? Change of Mind set: The drivers been more polite, professional and serious. The relevant authorities choosing not to ignore them anymore, traders paying on time.

In the end the one thing that binds us all is the need to make a living and to survive in the harsh world that we live in.