BOYD PHIRI, Lusaka
GOING to new Chipangali district in Eastern Province is not a problem, but the Toyota Corolla private taxis plying the route from Chipata can make you limit the times you go there.
You have to be lean to feel a semblance of comfort if you are sandwiched between two hefty passengers breathing heavily because of overloading.
The traffic police officers mounting checkpoints at Chipata-Lundazi road turn-off on the periphery of Chipata city don’t seem to notice the seventh and eighth person in the car.
It’s not by magic, the taxi drivers have cyclists on the road whom they pick at random to help with temporarily carrying the other two passengers to cover up the wrong once they spot traffic police officers ahead.
It’s a trick they have mastered at a cost, usually parting away with not more than K2 to pay a cyclist as this writer witnessed on one occasion.
A taxi fare to Chipangali from Chipata is K25 and more depending on the place you are disembarking at.http://epaper.daily-mail.co.zm/