A SPECIAL police operation is planned for this week to seize all unregistered motorcycles and auto rickshaws, bajaji, all over the country. The operation follows expiry of cut-off date earlier set by the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA).
The authority had ordered fresh registration of such motorbikes by December 31, last year, failure of which would attract appropriate legal measures. In an interview with the ‘Daily News’ in Dar es Salaam, the Chief Traffic Police Commander, Mr Mohammed Mpinga, said the police force was ready to start the operation all over the country.

He said appropriate legal action will be instituted against defiant owners or operators. “This is an operation that will take place countrywide and legal actions will be taken according to the traffic laws as well as the regulations of Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA),” he said.
The TRA Director of Education and Taxpayer Services, Mr Richard Kayombo, had earlier told this newspaper that they had extended time of registration to give ample time for owners of motorcycles and ‘bajaji’ to complete the exercise before the set deadline elapsed.
“As TRA, we provided enough time for people to register voluntarily and complete that exercise without application of any force. But if there are people who ignored our order, then legal action will be taken against them,” he insisted.
He added that the exercise to arrest defaulters lies in the hands of the Traffic Police Department, who are tasked with implementation, arresting and punishing those violating the laws and road safety regulations.
Meanwhile, the traffic police chief clarified on the issue of level seats in public service vehicles, saying that the rule will apply only in upcountry buses and not urban commuter buses. He said it is not allowed to carry many passengers who are travelling longer distances than the available seats in the buses or vehicles.
However, he said for commuter buses, which are making town trips, drivers may carry more passengers, insisting, however, that people should not exceed the capacity of a vehicle. “One passenger should stand at least for a distance of one square meter from another, depending on the size of the vehicle,” said Mr Mpinga.