Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA) Chief Executive Officer Zindaba Soko says he will not report to Deputy Inspector General of Police Solomon Jere following a heated exchange of words the two had over the mounting of road blocks by RTSA to curb cases of drunk driving.
Mr. Soko says this is because by the Act of Parliament which created RTSA only mandates him to report to the Minister of Transport and communication and not to the Deputy Inspector of Police.
Mr. Soko however, says he is ready to attend a meeting with Dr. Jere at a higher level to iron out there professional differences.
Mr. Soko has also maintained that the agency will continue with its patrols as prescribed under the RTSA Act No. 11 of 2002.
Mr. Soko was speaking to Qfm in an interview.
On one hand we have you RATSA putting in a good effort to curb drunkness on the roads by mounting those road blocks but on the other hand we the none drunks get inconvenienced by those queues. We want you spread everywhere and not at points like as if you’re searching for an escaped convict. Patrol around to see who is driving kokai kokai. Breatherlize those. Moreover, dangerous driving comes in in more forms. Running a red light, an unwarranted U-turn, wrongful overtaking overspeeding, driving too slow, etc. These vices can only be captured by patrolling and road blocking, and are usually done by drunks.
How clean is this man? Use your search engines to find him wanting and send him to gallows
Thus far breatherlizers have been suspended as de facto determinants of drunk driving in RSA and Namibia. They have opted for direct blood tests instead. A driver successfully dragged them to court over that matter. We need to relook at a lot of adopted measures that have hitherto either been abused or downrightly misused.
I thought the Zambia Police where the enforcers of the Law. RTSA has no respect for our Police. Can someone look into this mess.
Whether one was appointed by who or yes, ther is suppose to be respect in public offices. Even this news shows how bad things are.
Bane, Enjoy wisely
Correct. Solomon Jere seems like someone pregnant with power and authority. Things have gone to his head. How does he shout at a fellow senior officer in government. This can only happen in PF. Dr. Jere or whatever you call yourself, you are a disgrace to professional civil servants. How can you work to popularise PF? PF does not need to be popular, it needs to deliver on its various promises full stop. RSTA CEO, continue your good work. besides your officers are not corrupt unlike the police.
are you day dreaming or ‘night dreaming’?
PF Jere Solomon, you were just jealous because you are a beneficiary to all the police thefts done by your officers on the roads. We have information that you always give your officers target on the amount they should raise for your stomach.
This wont help. Patrol Highways seriously where people are overspeeding. Make recommendations to RDA for speed control mechanisms on our city roads to curb overspeeding i.e rubber speed humps over a 5 meter section of the road would definitely force sane motorists to slow down, considering filter-lanes and turning points during the road design process with an objective of avoiding road intersections where most people do not observe the right-of-way!
ba RATSA u a thieves
Rtsa officers seem to be untrained and have no respect when dealing with the public. Let government ban this overzealous department. If they can mistreat Jere, who is an ordinary motorist.
both these institutes are corrupt to the core hence this bickering.
one has just to look at the way they live and the types of cars they drive to conclude that all is not well.
unfortunately its like we are still waiting for that proverbial broom that knows all corners, to come and sweep these corners clean.
am telling you these corners belonging RTSA and TRAFFIC SECTION of the police are extremely dirty and will take alot of brooms to sweep them clean.
I wonder how many PF cards this Mr. Jere carry in his pocket. He seem to be number one cadre of PF. No wonder the opposition are not allowed to have meetings and rallies it is because of Jere and Libongani. Has his behavour got anything to do with his origin ( Easterner)? He is a total disgrace. Resign as a cop so that you can join PF so that the can offer the job of chief Cadre.
These parrots (RATS & Bujus) are scrambling for money. Let them kill each other.
the only thing i hate about RTSA is, they have no etiquette. surely they have no regard or respect when dealing with motorists. the way they talk to you, like they are talking to their own child. the way you saw them talking to Dr Solomon Jere, it’s even much worse to the little known motorist.
eg: “Can I see your license!” while looking somewhere else
can’t start by greeting you: good evening sir/good morning madam, NO! i support the Dr Solomon Jere on this one.
F**k the police!
RATSA is not a law enforcement agency. They are just a licencing authority! So what the hell are they doing on road blocks.
But have you read what their Act says for you to say what you have said? Don’t react out of emotion and ignorance. First read the law then comment objectively. Your behaviour is no different from that of a PF cadre like Dr Sillyman Jelly.
Iam not a fan of ‘Dr’ Jere, in fact I don’t like him because of his political inclinations. But the bloke is quite right on this one. Road blocks are an outdated method of curbing traffic offenses and are an irritating nuisance. Move with times RTSA! Patrols, Camera checks, breath risers and a lot of other methods are what’s necessary. RTSA officers are corrupt and unprofessional and apparently lack interpersonal skills. They are oppressive and down right rude! Iam not in any way insulating the Police from corruption, but I think to a certain extent they are better trained to handle human beings RTSA. RTSA think everyone is a Kaponya.
Bwana Jere control yr etiquete.Dont bossy yrself lest yr coleague defends his emberasment looking at public watchng.He too has surbordinates hence disgracing him in public is uncalled for baba.U re a gud man.Iron those diferences it shows u re working not sleeping both of u.
Dr Jere or both acted unprofessionery period n the Dr damaged his charecter by say they making the Gvnt unpopular! He came out as a PF carder! But I’ve neva heard of if comited a traffic offence to report to RATSA but the Police. The shld wek together coz RATSA can’t charge & arrest an offender but the Police. Why then mount a road block alone????? Those caught who arrested an charged them??? Corruptiion at play ba RATSA though both Institutions & their officers are highly & dengerously corrupt.
RTSA are mandated by law to enforce the law. They will charge you for traffic offences. The Law states “authorised office” this can be police officer, road traffic inspector, Customs officers, Immigration officers etc.
RATSA officers are corrupt. They reaped from me in Chipata. They had to do a breath despite me telling them that I don’t drink. This made it worse and they charged me 160 kwacha re based without a receipt. I am still bitter.
why did you pay if you were not drunk???
Fake
Let the dead’s bury them selves
Umutima ububi RATSA. Have respect for zambians when excuting your dirty jobs ratsa
Respect and reasoning is key, avoid been emotional and confrontational, some offences such as wearing seat belt can be forgiven
much as we appreciate the formation of RTSA they must observe their operating limit for sure they don’t have the powers of arrest and to impound motor vehicles their duty is that of a class teacher to educate and to sensitize period there is only one police service and why should they dilute the duties of the police. Bravo abambo jere for reminding soko and his suborn officers. If they want let them start operating separate from the police and we will see were they will run to when they face resistance from motorist.
I think we need to follow the facts. Dr. Jere is a commissioned officer who knows when and where a road block should be mounted. Honestly how do you mount a road block at the Hospital (Chainama). Just imagine what would happen if an ambulance was coming with patients only to find a road block! Another point is that some drivers can be very sarcastic like that woman in the clip who threw sand at the reporter. Imagine that she had a gun, don’t you think she could shoot a RATSA officer? I feel the two institutions need to collaborate, otherwise its wrong for RTSA to use emotions as a reason to mount road blocks.
RTSA should have courtesy to deal with the public, i thought they were professional in dealing with human nature, but they are disrespectful to the highest order. and just the mounting of a road block past 22hrs in a high way. and those machines of theirs are defective, it takes about 5 to 10 minutes to just test and print out results as a result you start lining up up to midnight
Road blocks are primitive and at the same time very dangerous. Roads are filled with all sorts of chaps including armed criminals that no RTSA chap is trained or able to handle. I think ZP should be the only ones to patrol.
When you find a team of RTSA on the road, some illegal road users make U-turns running away from them but if it is police in traffic attire they are promised because of the K20 bribe. Dr. Jere should concentrate on his Job of appointment and look after the affaires of the boojuz.
The duty of RTSA is just to educate sensitize period not the nonsense they are doing the road f**k
Dr Jere may be correct. RTSA are going beyond there boundary. I would like someone to make a distinction between the duties of Traffic Police and RTSA. What I see is that RTSA are taking over Police duties like mounting road blocks whose mandate is it? If you went outside this country even in SA, this mandate is only for Police and not any other institution.
RTSA in as much as you’re trying to control drunkardness on our roads please consider doing it the right way. Why should you go patrol or mount a road near a bar? Thats not fair. We know u guys you are just trying to raise some money for some thing. Go to high ways not wre am even looking at my gate about go en sleep then u stop me just to see if am drunk.yes you are making unnecessarily check points.
Its been RTSA making headlines since its inception the problem is the agency is full of untrained yoos they lucky maturity,where are the former RTC officers? Govt please take keen interest in this issue they are a lot of wrongs at RTSA the boys need to be guided.
Good works, Mr C.E.O RTSA for the recommended works you are doing. Solomon jere does not know what happening in these police stations. The police officers who patronise at night with police vehicles are mostly found drunk and its only RTSA officer that are able to save the lives of people properly. police officer should be checked also becoz they are taking advantage jst becoz they use police vehicles,GRZ for that matter. Shame on our officers. jere wake up and face the reality.
RATSA TEMUNOBE See the link below
https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/p480x480/1234180_681240155221699_951345996_n.jpg
good one.
why should a motorist kneel b4 this RTSA chap? Are they semi Gods?
The police work at night but RTSA I dont know. I lie closer to a man working for RTSA who I have never seen being woken up in the night to go for work. In fact someone should check their worksheets as to whether they record (RTSA workers) any overtime for working in the night. Let the police do their work since they have the mandate
can ratsa take you to court for a traffic offence?
Am not suprised… My mbuyas always do the opposite eg. paying for driving in a sober state… ki ki ki ki. Facebook Zulu! Zambeef Lungu and Embelmed Phiri wake up.
dr jere claims to educated.govt has given him an office where to handle such issues from.how does he decide to deal with such in public and in full glare of the media.and why did he only decide to intervene because some lady called him to the scene and now wants to use the excuse of making the govt unpopular.he is the one who is infact making the govt unpopular by his unprofessionalism.look at how he handled the cadres demonstration.this man ought to be fired.
Breathalyzers are being still being used in developed countries and they have managed to change the attitudes of people positively. Mr Jere was in Australia for some years studying and if he cared, he would have noticed that road blocks are used to make random checks. The trick is not to stay at one point for too long in order to avoid congestion.
I am personally happy that breathalyzers are finally being used. If you want to drink don’t drive. Use public transport. Lusaka and all the towns are full of taxis.
Mr Jere, even if you are a party cadre surely you should realise that you are a public officer. I am so disgusted. Supporting ma chakolwa sure to drive while stone drunk??? Haaa. Govt is now divided like the PF??? Sorry maningi.
ratsa u are doing a good job
keep it up…actually most bloggers
here think ratsa and zp police patrol
are the same nanananananana,the diff
erence is that ratsa are proffetional while
zp traffic are hungry police officers who harras
drivers.
Sata is a king of confussion. Vice presidentnt vs Party Chairma Chikwelete. Winter vs GBm. You aer yet to see more.
Dr Jere is right, RTSA is a body composed of untrained and quetous lacking chaps. Even their CEO is indiscipline. Most likely, this man is a pure civilian as we who have had some military training know too well that you do not argue in public in a manner the Soko chap did against a very superior officer to him in Dr Jere. Rven when he had a point, he should as Dr Jere had suggested kept low and have a time to go and sit in the office and discuss. It is a fact that law enforcement matters are handled by several government organs but all these must know that they are represented ceremoniously by the police and that in itself shows the ranking structure. Observe that when the president is attending to any national matter, he is welcomed by service chiefs and you will observe that of all the
several law enforcement agencies in the country, only the police is represented. This means Dr Jere is technically senior to Soko therefore we did not expect Soko to exhibit such arrogance before Dr Jere. RTSA cannot alone manage to bring sanity on the road, it will not be long before the start getting beaten by unruly motorists. You need the police. Next time let the powers that be appoint the CEO from the police. There are a lot of educated police officers who can do that job and realise the descipline necessary for a law enforcer.
(1) Dr. Jere was once a board chairperson for RATSA implying that he knows what he was looking for. (2) Dr. Jere’s voice tone during that encounter with the RATSA CEO on TV was dailogue-seeking and not bossy. (3) All pockets of society in Zambia have corrupt elements (4) The work done by DEC, ACC, OP and RATSA is a dublication of the work of the Zambia Police Service. (5) All Zambians report to the police when called upon for various reasons. (6) Only sane people appreciate Zambia Police Service. (7) Calling someone to one’s office to dialogue does not at any incident amount to reporting to that person.