By Amin Kef (Ranger)
Recent ugly incidents related to serious and blatant attempts made by certain unscrupulous persons to set ablaze the Waka Fine Buses that were recently introduced to enhance urban transport mobility and reduce the transportation constraints that many residents face , on a daily basis, within the Freetown Metropolis have been condemned by patriotic citizens as disingenuous acts bordering on outright sabotage of a positive development geared towards improving the welfare of citizens.
In one of those incidents that took place just a few days ago, the driver and his handful of apprentices of a commercial bus, with Registration Number ATR 367 and inscribed on its sides IBP, desperately attempted to commit arson by sprinkling petrol on the frontage of one of the Waka Fine Buses,with Registration Number 709 at Wellington, opposite a well known location known as Coker Lane in the East End of Freetown. The swift intervention of majority of patriotic passengers in the Waka Fine Bus, amidst a small percentage of ill-motivated persons who were hell bent on heaping criticisms against the Government for what they termed “mismanagement of the Buses” restrained the diabolic attempt or plan and prevented the burning of the bus.
Noticing how determined the patriotic passengers were and realizing the criminal nature of their act the driver of the IBP Bus ran away when it dawned on him that he was about to be overpowered, arrested and handed over to the Police.
According to some of the passengers it was not the first time that such an attempt of setting ablaze the buses has occurred as they narrated how they have experienced or witnessed other two occasions when similar attempts have been made.
When this news medium contacted the driver of the 709 Waka Fine Bus and conductor they expressed fear of grave insecurity in the course of discharging their services mentioning occasions when verbal threats of harming the buses have been made and even against them.
The same sentiment or fear was expressed by other drivers and conductors interviewed. All of them categorically lamented that they feel very insecure and vulnerable in the face of such threats further expressing concern that if such a diabolic plan transpires they will not only be the ones to be affected as the passengers will also be at risk. They therefore said, through this medium, that Government and Management of the company should look at these threats seriously and institute measures that will provide security for the Waka Fine Buses and by extension the passengers and themselves. They stressed the urgency of the situation saying it must not be treated lightly.
When the Management of Metro Transport Company SL Ltd was also contacted for their reaction they vehemently cried down, what they referred to as, the dastardly acts. According to them, it is really sad and very heart rendering that some Sierra Leoneans do not want to embrace development. “We have to be vigilant about our collective security,” a Senior Official admonished adding that they will not yield to the nefarious behaviours of saboteurs but rather will continue to focus on executing their mandate seamlessly. He continued that they will convene a meeting with the Inspector General of Police to discuss security and operational issues pertaining to the safety of passengers, staff and buses.
It could be recalled that fifty (50) state of the art buses recently became operational, with the main objective of addressing urban mobility challenges, under the Integrated and Resilient Urban Mobility Project (IRUMP) funded by a World Bank Grant of $50 Million and a Government counterpart fund of $2 Million.
Named, “Waka Fine Buses”, each of the buses is accommodating over 70 passengers and is wheelchair accessible. The fifty Waka Fine Buses are currently plying designed routes within the capital city of Freetown since they were launched on the 29th January, 2024 by the Chief Minister, David Moinina Sengeh at Youyi Building compound during an auspicious ceremony that was graced by high ranking Government officials and development partners.
These fifty buses are plying two corridors within the Freetown Municipality; some are taking off with passengers from Bus Station, in the Central Part of Freetown, to as far as Lumley in the West End were as the others are taking off from the same Bus Station to as far as Calaba Town in the East End of Freetown, making trips well over rush hours.
Contrary to the general and wrong perception harboured by many that the Fifty Buses are managed by the Government of Sierra Leone, the reality of the situation is that these buses were leased to a private company, known as Metro Transport Company (MTC) Sierra Leone Limited, in short MTC-SL Ltd, for the purpose of providing transport services. The company is tasked with the responsibility of managing the buses while the Sierra Leone Public Transport Authority (SLPTA) provides regulatory functions.
It is important to note that the Metro Transport Company SL Ltd is an indigenous company that was established by the Passenger Welfare Association, Poda-Poda & Bus Owners Association, Motor Drivers & General Workers Union and the Sierra Leone Commercial Tricycle Union with each stakeholder having a certain percentage share of the business.
As a new enterprise, which is expected to be commercially managed in the most viable way amidst a competitive transportation system that has been in operation, from the commencement of plying the aforementioned corridors, the Waka Fine Buses, were confronted with challenges. Charging a transportation fare of Ten Thousand Leones (NLe10) was frowned upon by drivers of commercial mini buses and the fact that from Monday to Friday other commercial transportation drivers and riders are diverted to certain designated routes during a certain timeframe has been criticized on the basis of discouraging healthy competition.
However, with the passage of time it has become clear that in terms of transport fares the distances covered by the Waka Fine Buses are far more than those by the other buses plus the comfort that passengers derive of not being “crammed or choked” in addition to the free phone charging facility offered. With regards to the diverted routes, it has become clear that the routes designated are passable and do not deter movements in any way, save only traffic jams or hold ups that do inevitably occur due to unforeseen circumstances.
Many that this medium further contacted on the attempts to harm the Waka Fine Buses maintained that anybody caught in such acts should be dealt with according to the law. They suggested that it is better to dialogue than to use violent means as ways of righting wrongs with many acclaiming the initiative of running the Waka Fine Buses saying whatever way it is looked at the buses are helping greatly in reducing transportation constraints.
“In one of those incidents that took place just a few days ago, the driver and his handful of apprentices of a commercial bus, with Registration Number ATR 367 and inscribed on its sides IBP, desperately attempted to commit arson by sprinkling petrol on the frontage of one of the Waka Fine Buses”-The Calabash
Is this not one of the easiest cases to investigate? The Calabash has provided the registration number of the vehicle that the criminal was driving. I believe or I want to believe (this is Sierra Leone negatives things strives) that all vehicles are registered and the particulars of the owner is known. Get the owner. He will tell the police who he entrusted the vehicle to and the investigation should go after that person and make sure that he appears in court, and his trials should be swift and the outcome should be jail term of over ten years. This is an attempted murder and arson to the Waka Fine bus and its passengers. He should serve his sentence in Bonthe where he should be involved in manual community work as part of his prison punishment. Did I hear someone say that this will never happen in Sierra Leone because nobody cares?