BAJAJ: THE ANATOMY OF STUPIDITY
The three-wheeled motor scooters popular known as Bajaj have been legalized as public means of transport. Whilst our developing friends have passed the bill to allow space tourism, our honorable members of the parliament have passed the bill which I will term it as death by choice using Bajaj bill. If you dissect the way the Bajaj operates versus safety rules which governs passengers rights, you will see how stupidity have been crafted in a way that it looks like we’ve just invented our own Einstein. Follow me through this.
It started as the means of transport for disadvantaged people and it was acceptable since the Bajaj were quite a few and posed no harm to the population. Given its highly economical fuel consumption, marketing companies started to use them in their daily operations. The concerned authorities were busy doing other things as the Bajaj slowly started to mushroom.
Given the economic hardship and poor infrastructure of our country, people started to own the Bajaj and use to ferry passengers from hard to reach by bus areas to main roads at a fee. Up to this time, the authorities were deep in a sleep.
Now the number of Bajaj skyrocketed to an extent our honorable MPs felt it was unjust to ban them. The authorities presented to the MPS the bill which will allow Bajaj to operate legally as a means of transport! Just to add the kind of thinking, the Municipal Director of Dar-es-salaam on the increasing number of Bajaj as reported on the Citizen newspaper of 4 March 2008, he said “We are working on legal proposals to have them licensed and taxed," I love the kind of thinking of jeopardizing the life of passengers in the name of money! It sounds very okay if you have not checked the facts and the series of statements from Police and hospitals!
In the Road Traffic Act, 1973, A “passenger vehicle” is defined as a vehicle that is constructed or adopted solely for the carriage of passengers and their effect.” and a “public service vehicle’ is defined as a motor vehicle which carries or is intended to carry passengers for hire or reward, whether or not used or constructed solely for that purpose; and where such a vehicle can accommodate not more than 6 passengers including the driver it is known as “taxi-cab”, otherwise it is a “public omnibus.”
The good question here where exactly do you classify Bajaj? Maybe there is an amendment of the act which says a “passenger vehicle” is any substance that can ferry passengers from point A to point B. No wonder the driver who was riding (read driving) Bajaj during fatal accident with Hon. Chenge was acquitted since the prosecutor didn’t know how to classify Bajaj in the books of law!
The recent The Global Status Report on Road Safety as reported byWHO shows that Tanzania has qualified to be among countries with the world’s deadliest roads! The report reveals that 34.3 for every 100,000 people were killed on roads in Tanzania during 2007; Deaths by road user category in the country include motor vehicle passengers (33 per cent), cyclists (17 per cent), motorbike/Bajaj riders (7 per cent) and motor vehicle drivers (6 per cent). In 2006, it is estimated that road accidents cost Tanzania 3.4% of Gross Domestic Product. Imagine the Bajaj have been allowed to operate yesterday and have caused significant death rates. I’m certain the figure is now very high. Very unfortunately the number of injuries caused by Bajaj has not been counted.
Driving license is an official document which states that a person may operate a motorized vehicle, such as a motorcycle, car, truck or a bus. A driver's license is issued after the recipient has passed a driving test. We have seen how Bajaj drivers are behaving on the roads. It clearly shows that they have not undergone driving test and as such they don’t have driving license. In the unlikely event (here you should read, in the very likely) of an accident, can insurance companies pay the victims and compensation for the damaged Bajaj?
The three-wheeled motor scooters popular known as Bajaj have been legalized as public means of transport. Whilst our developing friends have passed the bill to allow space tourism, our honorable members of the parliament have passed the bill which I will term it as death by choice using Bajaj bill. If you dissect the way the Bajaj operates versus safety rules which governs passengers rights, you will see how stupidity have been crafted in a way that it looks like we’ve just invented our own Einstein. Follow me through this.
It started as the means of transport for disadvantaged people and it was acceptable since the Bajaj were quite a few and posed no harm to the population. Given its highly economical fuel consumption, marketing companies started to use them in their daily operations. The concerned authorities were busy doing other things as the Bajaj slowly started to mushroom.
Given the economic hardship and poor infrastructure of our country, people started to own the Bajaj and use to ferry passengers from hard to reach by bus areas to main roads at a fee. Up to this time, the authorities were deep in a sleep.
Now the number of Bajaj skyrocketed to an extent our honorable MPs felt it was unjust to ban them. The authorities presented to the MPS the bill which will allow Bajaj to operate legally as a means of transport! Just to add the kind of thinking, the Municipal Director of Dar-es-salaam on the increasing number of Bajaj as reported on the Citizen newspaper of 4 March 2008, he said “We are working on legal proposals to have them licensed and taxed," I love the kind of thinking of jeopardizing the life of passengers in the name of money! It sounds very okay if you have not checked the facts and the series of statements from Police and hospitals!
In the Road Traffic Act, 1973, A “passenger vehicle” is defined as a vehicle that is constructed or adopted solely for the carriage of passengers and their effect.” and a “public service vehicle’ is defined as a motor vehicle which carries or is intended to carry passengers for hire or reward, whether or not used or constructed solely for that purpose; and where such a vehicle can accommodate not more than 6 passengers including the driver it is known as “taxi-cab”, otherwise it is a “public omnibus.”
The good question here where exactly do you classify Bajaj? Maybe there is an amendment of the act which says a “passenger vehicle” is any substance that can ferry passengers from point A to point B. No wonder the driver who was riding (read driving) Bajaj during fatal accident with Hon. Chenge was acquitted since the prosecutor didn’t know how to classify Bajaj in the books of law!
The recent The Global Status Report on Road Safety as reported byWHO shows that Tanzania has qualified to be among countries with the world’s deadliest roads! The report reveals that 34.3 for every 100,000 people were killed on roads in Tanzania during 2007; Deaths by road user category in the country include motor vehicle passengers (33 per cent), cyclists (17 per cent), motorbike/Bajaj riders (7 per cent) and motor vehicle drivers (6 per cent). In 2006, it is estimated that road accidents cost Tanzania 3.4% of Gross Domestic Product. Imagine the Bajaj have been allowed to operate yesterday and have caused significant death rates. I’m certain the figure is now very high. Very unfortunately the number of injuries caused by Bajaj has not been counted.
Driving license is an official document which states that a person may operate a motorized vehicle, such as a motorcycle, car, truck or a bus. A driver's license is issued after the recipient has passed a driving test. We have seen how Bajaj drivers are behaving on the roads. It clearly shows that they have not undergone driving test and as such they don’t have driving license. In the unlikely event (here you should read, in the very likely) of an accident, can insurance companies pay the victims and compensation for the damaged Bajaj?
Bajaj have been nuisance on the road by obstructing the roads particularly in the junction or in the bus stands where they are waiting for passengers. They are notorious in breaking the road rules by passing in any opening they get not keeping in mind the destruction they cause on the banks of the roads and disturbances they cause to the pedestrians. In the same vein they are the source of traffic congestion in the city.
The safety of the passengers in the Bajaj is in the hands of almighty God. With Bajaj carrying up to 5 passengers, the question of centre of gravity of it doesn’t hold and its stability on the road becomes compromised. I was thrilled by the idea of one of the big shot in the Police Force that they will introduce seat belts in the Bajaj. You sometimes wonder whether we are serious or not when the question of lives of Tanzanians comes.
Since the Bajaj drivers do not have driving license and are hardly following traffic rules and are not arrested, where can you escape the use of word corruption? I have been asking myself these questions. What is the kind of thinking do we have in this country? Do we think of the coming generation? Do we sit down and think of the consequence of the bill and laws before passing or endorsing them? Do we think anyway?
The safety of the passengers in the Bajaj is in the hands of almighty God. With Bajaj carrying up to 5 passengers, the question of centre of gravity of it doesn’t hold and its stability on the road becomes compromised. I was thrilled by the idea of one of the big shot in the Police Force that they will introduce seat belts in the Bajaj. You sometimes wonder whether we are serious or not when the question of lives of Tanzanians comes.
Since the Bajaj drivers do not have driving license and are hardly following traffic rules and are not arrested, where can you escape the use of word corruption? I have been asking myself these questions. What is the kind of thinking do we have in this country? Do we think of the coming generation? Do we sit down and think of the consequence of the bill and laws before passing or endorsing them? Do we think anyway?
POINT
ReplyDeleteThis is an unfocused analysis mr. no name..accidents, driving licence, corruption, roads etc. You do not present any argument that links those items with Bajaj as a vehicle and consequently its inability to be a passenger vehicle.
ReplyDeleteAs pointed out by youself,
"Bajaj has highly economical fuel consumption"
and further
"Given the economic hardship and poor infrastructure of our country, people started to own the Bajaj and use to ferry passengers from hard to reach by bus areas to main roads"
Those are strong arguments for the bill Mr! You should vote for the Bill yourself, not gainst it!
Clearly, you did not sufficiently argue against the bill.
Point kama una uwezo wa kulipia Taxi, lakini kwa kina sie sioni point yoyote hapo. Tulipanda chai maharage mpaka leo tunapanda vihaice uchwara ambavyo haviko kwenye standard, na hata huo usafiri ulio kwenye standard inayotakiwa je ajali zimepungua?
ReplyDeleteSuala la leseni waendesha bajaji wanaweza kutakiwa wawe na leseni kama wengine, kwani hata hao wenye leseni hakuna rushwa inayotembea hapo?
Mie naona nia ya mwandishi si usalama wala nini bali ni kuona kuwa hizo bajaji zinazuia mahammer, macruiser na mabenzi yenu kufika mwendako,ni nuisance kwenu nyinyi mliojaaliwa lakini kwetu masikini ni ukombozi angalau naweza kwenda mahala kwa kulipa pesa kidogo. After all ni usafiri gani kwangu uko salama? Maajali kila siku kwani sheria za barabarani hakuna?
UPUUUZIIIIII
ReplyDeleteA highly researched arguement that clearly underlines how our government is monetary oriented and is driven by the idea of making money and ignoring repacations of bills they pass. Ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteGreat observation but my ndugu this is bongo: ukishangaa wanakushangaa kwa nini unashangaa!! It's sad.
ReplyDeletewhat make all that gazeti kusoma?????? we need change pls
ReplyDeleteHapa hakuja haja ya kutoiruhusu Bajaj kuendelea kutoa huduma. Hata nchi zilizoendelea kama Marekani kuna baadhi ya majiji yanatumia Bajaj, iweje bongo wasema haifai? Vyombo vya dola vinatakiwa kuhakikisha vibajaji vinaendeshwa KIHALALI na leseni halali na kuwa waangalifu waendeshaji wa vibajaji na madereva wengine wa magari that is all we have to do.
ReplyDeleteKAMA HAWA WAHESHIMIWA WABUNGE WANAKAA KIMYA WAKATI RAIA WA KI-TANZANIA WANAUWAWA NA WAGENI KWA KUNYWESHWA MAJI YENYE SUMU HUKO MKOANI MARA, WEWE UNAFIKIRI WANAJALI KITU KWELI HAWA…NITAWASHANGAA SANA RAIA WA MKOANI MARA WAKIMCHAGUA TENA HUYU MBUNGE WAO WA SASA…..RAIA WA MARA AMKENI JAMANI !!
ReplyDeleteHAO WANAOLETA SHERIA ZA KIPUUZI NDIYO WANAORUDISHA NCHI YETU NYUMA KWA MANUFAA YAO. ILI NCHI IENDELEE INAHITAJI USAFIRI BORA NA BARABARA NZURI. HUKO KWETU VYOTE HIVYO NI ZERO, PLUS MNALETA VIKOPO VIJAZANE BARABARANI PLEASE THINK AGAIN, HATUITAJI KUONEKANA KAMA INDIA VIJIKITU KAMA HIVYO VINALETA MJI KUONEKANA MCHAFUUUUUUUUUUUU NA KUONGEZA MAJERUHI NA VILEMA KAMA SIYO KUFA KABISA KWA MADHARA YAKE. RAISI NA WAZIRI WA USAFIRISHAJI WHERE ARE YOU PLEASE AU MIRADI NI YENU???? I AM PIECED OFF NA HIYO KWA KWELI. KAMA NI MIRADI YOU CAN INVEST SOMETHING ELSE AND NOT TO INVEST IN COSTING PEOPLES LIVES. HOSPITAL ZIMEJAAA MAJERUHI AND WE CAN'T AFFORD IT, OTHERWISE TUTAANZISHA TEA PARTY NA TUVIZUIE BARABARANI HIVYO VIJIKITU. KUENDEKEZA UMASIKINI NCHI ILIYO BARIKIWA KAMA HII YETU NI UJINGA, OK MHESHIMIWA WAZIRI!!
ReplyDeleteTanzania ilitakiwa kufikiria sana kabla ya kuruhusu Bajaj kubeba abiria. Mamlaka husika zingeangalia nchi kama India ambayou usafiri huu umeshamiri na kujifunza kwanza faida na madhara yake. kwa mtizamo wangu kwanza hali ya barabara za Tanzania bado ni duni na kuna msongamano mkubwa wa magari. Hapa naona matatizo mawili: (1) kwa kuwa bajaj zina mwendo mdogo zinaongeza msongamano wa magari (2) usalama wa abiria ni mdogo sana kwani Bajaj zinapata ajali sana. Kuna haja ya kufuatilia takwimu za ajali barabarani na kuona ni kwa kiasi gani Bajaj zimepoteza maisha ya Watanzania.
ReplyDeleteKuna haja pia ya kuangalia athari za kimazingira zinazosababishwa na usafiri huu na hatua dhabiti zichukuliwe ili kuchuja hewa inayochafuliwa na Bajaj.
Naomba kuwasilisha
I on the othr hand feel that it is the auto\bajaj drivers that need to be sat down for their lack o security because in some countries of ASia, they are appropriate means of transport which are safe. And before making them official they were supposed to widen the road to give psace or both autos/bajaj and big cars so as they may not cause congestions in traffic
ReplyDeletewell,we are about to be "small India"
ReplyDeleteOur Leaders think backwards,wao hawaoni hata foleni,misafara imezidi kuwa mingi.
Huu ni mfano mzuri wa kuonyesha kwamba si kila hoja iliyoandikwa kwa Kiingereza ni nzito. Mtoa hoja sijui kwa nini ametumia neno stupidity kuhusiana na bajaj wakati hoja yake ya msingi haionyeshi udhaifu wa bajaj bali inaonyesha udhaifu wa madereva wetu, wakiwemo wa bajaj ambao wamefanya barabara zetu ziwe tishio kwa usalama wa watu.
ReplyDeleteNimpe mtoa mada mawazo mbadala. Kwanza hebu fikiria hatari anazokumbana nazo mwendesha pikipiki au hata gari dogo kama Toyota Vitz. Tuzuie pikipiki barabarani kwa misingi ya stupidity?
Pili jaribu kupiga picha mbadala ambapo barabara zetu badala ya kuwa na mashangingi kibao, zitakuwa na vibajaj na madereva waliotulia.
Serikali inaweza kutengeneza mazingira ya kuondoa vibajaj kwa kutumia silaha yake kuu ya kodi. Futa kodi kwa mabasi, weka kodi kwa vibajaj vya biashara watu watanunua mabasi. Mnakumbuka wakati tulipokuwa tukisafiri mjini tukiwa ndani ya Kia 'chai maharage'? Sasa hivi tunapanda DCM.
I beg to differ with the author of the article because Bajajs help the ordinary wananchi who cannot afford taxi fares or who are living in places where buses refuse to go. However, since, as the article rightly states, there are safety issues, Bajaja operations have to be regulated. Drivers have to have licenses, they should be trained in traffic and safety regulations,etc. Mimi naona sababu ya ajali nyingi TZ na Africa ni mentality ya madreva wetu na abiria kuhusu usalama barabarani na kushindwa kwa traffic police kusimamia kikweli tests za udreva na utoaji leseni. bajaj zisimamiwe vizuri lakini si kuzipiga marufuku ili walalahoi wanaozitegemea wasiumie. Najua kuna lobby kali ya wenye taxis ndio hawazipendi.
ReplyDeleteI beg to differ with the author of the article because Bajajs help the ordinary wananchi who cannot afford taxi fares or who are living in places where buses refuse to go. However, since, as the article rightly states, there are safety issues, Bajaja operations have to be regulated. Drivers have to have licenses, they should be trained in traffic and safety regulations,etc. Mimi naona sababu ya ajali nyingi TZ na Africa ni mentality ya madreva wetu na abiria kuhusu usalama barabarani na kushindwa kwa traffic police kusimamia kikweli tests za udreva na utoaji leseni. bajaj zisimamiwe vizuri lakini si kuzipiga marufuku ili walalahoi wanaozitegemea wasiumie. Najua kuna lobby kali ya wenye taxis ndio hawazipendi.
ReplyDeleteAnkal,
ReplyDeleteNimeipenda article ya mdau ingawa sijapenda alivyotumia kizungu kuweka bayana mada.
Hao wanapinga nadhani wana babaji.
Nakumbuka kuna kipindi serekali ilitaka kupiga marufuku vipanya kwasababu havifai kwa usalama wa abiria. Havina mlango wa dharura na matairi mawili nyuma kama sheria za usalama wa kubeba abiria zinavyodai.
Sasa iweje waruhusu Bajaji? Nasikia harufu ya rushwa. Hapa lazima wenye kiwanda waliwaona wazee ndo maana ukapitishwa muswada wa kuruhusu babaj. Bure aghali,kama havitumii mafuta mengi ndo viruhusiwe kubeba abiria?
Nchi hii ni pasua kichwa. Tunalalmika ajali zimeongezeka bongo huku tunaruhusu babaj na pikipiki kubeba abiria. Ona mishkaki katika pikipiki.
Kibaya ni kwamba hakuna takwimu za walioumia katika ajali hizi.
Tafsiri makala yako watu waielewe vema mtoa mada