EDITOR – THE festive season is upon us and I know everyone will be busy buying this and that for Christmas. 

I stay in Harare and I know it will be a hive of activity in town.

However we have a serious problem that must be addressed urgently – touts.

A walk in the streets of Harare leaves one with a very heavy heart of disdain and anger; anger towards the ever-increasing number of touts marred across the city.

Touts are well known for passing derogatory statements to anyone who confronts them on their questionable behaviors.

They are also in the habit of sexually harassing women. 

If you do not agree to board the vehicle they are loading, you generally expect an insult from them.

But you cannot do anything about it because it is you against the whole lot of them.

We cannot allow such criminal and moral renegades to taint our norms and values as Zimbabweans.

This is why I appeal to the Harare City Council to do something very fast.

These uncouth people solicit money from kombi operators and dubious taxi drivers so that they illegally pick and drop passengers at undesignated places.

Some of the small ex-Japanese vehicles mshika-shika are being overloaded by these touts posing potential harm to the passengers. 

I strongly believe that it is time for stern measures to be taken against these touts because at this rate, town will not be a safe place to roam around. We must get rid of touts now.

Anonymous 

Harare