The driver of Rimbi Travel Tours bus, Misheck Penyai, has been jailed for effective 2 and a half years for reckless driving, following an <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Zimbabwe_Bus_Disasters">accident along the Harare-Nyamapanda highway</a> in January, ZBC News reported.
Initially, he was sentenced to three years, but six months were suspended on the condition that he does not commit a similar offence in the next five years. Furthermore, he was prohibited from driving public service vehicles, and his driver’s licence was cancelled.
His conviction and sentence this Tuesday come a day after Zebra Kiss driver, Mika Makwara <a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/2023/04/04/harare-nyamapanda-accident-zebra-kiss-driver-sentenced-to-2-years-imprisonment/">was sentenced to two years</a> by the same court for culpable and reckless driving. On top of the two-year jail term, Makwara was suspended from driving commuter omnibuses or heavy vehicles for life and his driver’s licence was cancelled.
Penyai and Makwara were arrested early this year following an accident that claimed the life of a Rimbi Travel and Tours bus conductor.
The state told the court that earlier this year, Makwara was driving a bus belonging to Zebra Kiss on Nyamapanda Highway while Penyai was driving another bus belonging to Rimbi Travel and Tours in the same direction. Penyai tried to overtake Makwara, but Makwara obstructed him by occupying the middle and right lanes, both trying to pick up passengers. This resulted in Penyai colliding with the rear end of a tipper truck travelling in the opposite direction towards Nyamapanda.
One person died in the accident while several others were injured. The Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development, <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Felix_Mhona">Felix Mhona</a>, immediately <a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/2023/01/19/full-text-minister-suspends-rimbi-tours-licence-after-accident/">suspended the licenses of Zebra Kiss and Rimbi Travel &amp; Tours following the accident.</a> The suspensions were later lifted on certain conditions.
<h2><a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/">More Pindula News</a></h2>

Pindula News

Rimbi Tours Bus Driver Jailed For 2.5 Years Over Harare-Nyamapanda Accident

Zebra Kiss driver, Mika Makwara, has been sentenced to 2 years imprisonment over the Harare-Nyamapanda highway <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/watch-bus-crash-filmed-from-inside-seconds-before-disaster/">accident which occurred in January this year.</a>
Makwara’s driver’s licence was also cancelled.
Misheck Penyai who was driving the Rimbi Travel and Tours bus will be in court this Tuesday for sentencing. 
Some context:
In video clips that went viral in January, two buses, Rimbi Travel and Tours and Zebra Kiss, were racing each other. The Rimbi crew was filming the race, trying to gather evidence of the recklessness of the Zebra Kiss driver, which they were trying to overtake. Despite complaints from passengers about the speed and circumstances, the race continued. The buses were driving very close to each other at a significant speed, attempting to stay in front of each other. When the lead bus overtook a stationary vehicle, the second bus could not react quickly enough to avoid hitting the vehicle, resulting in an accident that killed one person and injured several others. The Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development, <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Felix_Mhona">Felix Mhona</a>, immediately <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/full-text-minister-suspends-rimbi-tours-licence-after-accident/">suspended the licenses of Zebra Kiss and Rimbi Travel &amp; Tours following the accident. </a>
In Zimbabwe, the speed limit for public service and heavy vehicles on wide tar roads is 80km per hour. But buses that travel between cities and towns often go at speeds of around 120km per hour, which is the speed limit for small vehicles. Unfortunately, due to reckless driving, <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Zimbabwe_Bus_Disasters">bus accidents are frequent</a> in the country, with at least one fatal accident every other month.
<h2><a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/">More Pindula News</a></h2>

Harare-Nyamapanda Accident: Zebra Kiss Driver Sentenced To 2 Years Imprisonment

The government has lifted the suspension of the licence for operation of all omnibuses belonging to Rimbi Travel and Tours with immediate effect.
However, the bus company has been barred from servicing the Harare to Nyamapanda route.
Rimbi and Zebra Kiss’s licences were suspended last month after their drivers were involved in a race along the Harare-Nyamapanda road that resulted in a fatal road accident on 17 January 2023.
The Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development, Felix Tapiwa Mhona, lifted <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/full-text-minister-suspends-rimbi-tours-licence-after-accident/">the suspension</a> of Zebra Kiss’ operating licence last week.
He has now done the same for Rimbi after they submitted “comprehensive measures” to prevent the recurrence of such incidents. A statement issued by Mhona on 03 February reads:
<blockquote>
The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development wishes to advise the public that it has lifted the suspension of the licence for operation of all omnibuses belonging to Rimbi Travel and Tours Pvt Ltd. 
The lifting of the suspension follows the submission of comprehensive measures that have been put in place by the Operator to avert such incidents in the future.
Prior to the Road Traffic Accident that occurred on 17 January 2023, efforts were made by stakeholders in the passenger transport sector to resolve the route conflict between Rimbi Travel and Tours Pvt Ltd and Tashllyt Investments Pvt Ltd trading as Zebra Kiss. 
The Ministry has therefore seen it in the best interest of all concerned stakeholders to cancel all Route Permits for Rimbi Travel and Tours Pvt on the Harare to Nyamapanda route. 
The Operator has consented to this arrangement and will be allowed to service other routes across the country.
The Ministry will continue to enforce and monitor compliance with the terms and conditions of all operators’ licences, including measures against reckless and negligent driving.
</blockquote>
Surprisingly, Mhona did not bar Zebra Kiss from servicing the Harare to Nyamapanda route when he lifted their suspension.
It was the Zebra Kiss driver who was arguably at fault for causing the crash as he was blocking the road as well as the Rimbi bus driver’s vision several minutes before the accident.
The move may raise a few eyebrows as it appears to give Zebra Kiss an advantage over its competitor who has now been barred from the “lucrative” route.

Rimbi Travel & Tours Suspension Lifted But Barred From Harare-Nyamapanda Route

The minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development, Felix Tapiwa Mhona, has lifted <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/full-text-minister-suspends-rimbi-tours-licence-after-accident/">the suspension</a> of Zebra Kiss’ operating licence. They had been suspended following an accident along the Harare-Nyamapanda road on 18 January 2023. The accident which happened after a road race between the Zebra Kiss and Rimbi Tours buses resulted in <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/watch-bus-crash-filmed-from-inside-seconds-before-disaster/">the death of one man.</a> In a statement seen by Pindula News, the minister said the bus companies had taken measures to avoid such incidents in the future. Reads the statement:
<blockquote>
<h2>STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT, HON. F. T. MHONA (MP) ON THE LIFTING OF THE SUSPENSION OF THE LICENCE FOR OPERATION OF ALL OMNIBUSES BELONGING TO TASHLLYT INVESTMENTS (PVT) LTD TRADING AS ZEBRA KISS</h2>
The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development wishes to advise the public that it has lifted the suspension of the licence for operation of all omnibuses belonging to Tashllyt Investments trading as Zebra Kiss.
The lifting of the suspension follows the submission of comprehensive measures that have been put In place by Tashilyt Investments to avert such incidents in future. After a meticulous consideration of the submission, the Ministry Is satisfied that the measures that have been mainstreamed by the Operator are adequate to checkmate recurrence of operational behaviours which can be interpreted as violations of terms and conditions of the licence.
The Ministry will continue to enforce and monitor compliance with the terms and conditions of all operators’ licences, including measures against reckless and negligent driving.
HON. F. T. MHONA (MP) MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT 
</blockquote>
<h2><a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/">More Pindula News</a></h2>

Transport Minister Lifts Suspension Of Zebra Kiss' Licence [FT]

One of the passengers who were injured when a Rimbi Travel and Tours bus which was racing behind a Zebra Kiss bus, was involved in an accident on 17 January 2023 in Mutoko District along the Harare-Nyamapanda Highway has accused the bus company’s management of being cold and unsympathetic for not rendering support to the injured.
The Rimbi bus, which was travelling to Harare with 23 passengers on board, rammed into the back of a Shacman Tipper which was travelling in the same direction.
Police said the bus driver was trying to overtake the truck whilst being blocked by a Zebra Kiss bus that was travelling in the same direction.
One person was killed, while seven others were seriously injured in the accident.
The woman, who was a passenger on the Rimbi bus, has expressed gratitude to the Zebra Kiss buses’ management for footing the hospital bills of the injured passengers. <a href="https://twitter.com/HeraldZimbabwe/status/1617855343085916160">She said:</a>
<blockquote>
The Rimbi Tours bus driver was chasing the Zebra Kiss bus from border-Nyamapanda… I reprimanded him, if you heard someone who was reproaching the driver, it was I.
He said to me “woman, don’t bother me. I want him (the Zebra Kiss driver, to know that I’m capable of driving at great speeds.”
I implored him to slow down, and he then took his phone and handed it to the bus conductor, the one who died in the accident, he was close to me.
The Rimbi Tours management never came to see us when I was initially admitted at Mutoko Hospital and even here at Parirenyatwa Hospital, they didn’t come.
The Zebra Kiss management came to us here. They went to Mutoko Hospital and paid our hospital bills. They have also come to Parirenyatwa and they are assisting me.
I’m grateful for their love. I never imagined they would help me considering that I was injured aboard the Rimbi Tours bus, and not on their coach.
</blockquote>
The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development has since suspended the licences of Rimbi Travel and Zebra Kiss from operating all their omnibuses on all routes across the country.
The two buses companies were accused of violating sections of the Road Traffic Act which “prohibit driving without due care and attention or reasonable consideration for others, negligent or dangerous driving and reckless driving…”

Injured Woman Castigates Rimbi Bosses, Heaps Praise On Zebra Kiss

Zebra Kiss and Rimbi Tours, two suspended bus companies, have apologised and said they are dismissing any drivers who participated in a road race along the Harare-Nyamapanda road earlier this week that resulted in <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/watch-bus-crash-filmed-from-inside-seconds-before-disaster/">an accident that killed one man. </a>
A video which circulated on social media shows the Zebra Kiss bus blocking Rimbi Tours from overtaking.
Rimbi Tours which was travelling closely behind Zebra Kiss then collided with a stationary truck killing the bus conductor and injuring over 20 passengers. 
Following the incident, Transport Minister Felix Mhona <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/full-text-minister-suspends-rimbi-tours-licence-after-accident/">suspended the two transport operators’ licences</a> on Thursday 19 January.
The managers of the two bus companies admitted in a video shared on social media on Friday that their teams had been careless on the day in question and promised to pay for the funeral of the deceased as well as the medical care of the injured passengers.
The managing director of Zebra Kiss Coaches, Tangisai Mapuranga, announced that the company had summoned the driver to a disciplinary hearing pending dismissal. Mapuranga said:
<blockquote>
This (Friday) afternoon, I just want to apologise to the nation for what happened and to our minister (of transport) as well and the entire transport sector which includes our association, ZPTO for this mess which happened on that day.
It was also to be noted that this was caused by human error which was the negligence of our drivers and we would like to take full responsibility for that and also say sorry to the families that got injured; we also lost one of the bus crew for Rimbi buses
We say we are very sorry; we send our condolence message to the bereaved family and we would like to guarantee you that as Tashllyt Investments, we are there to serve the nation.
</blockquote>
Decent Rimbi, director of Rimbi Travel and Tours also issued an apology and pledged the company’s commitment to see through the funeral of its deceased employee and the injured passengers.
<h2><a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/">More Pindula News</a></h2>

Rimbi Travel and Tours Bus Service Latest News

Latest Jobs