Police hunt driver who abused traffic officer on Kafue Road in Lusaka

Zambia Police have appealed to the public for help to find the driver of a blue Mitsubishi Canter light truck who was caught on video abusing a traffic officer in Lusaka and then drove off. Police Spokesperson Chipo Kaitisha said in a statement on Tuesday that the incident happened on Sunday 1 November at about 11:30 hours in the Carousel area along Kafue Road. Traffic officers on routine patrol between 11:00 and 12:00 had stopped the truck after seeing traffic offences. On checking, the officers found that the truck's road tax had expired, an offence under Section 30(1) of the Road Traffic Act No. 11 of 2002, and that its insurance certificate had also expired, an offence under Section 86(1) of the same Act. Constable Musonda Caphers told the driver about the offences and told him to park off the road. Instead of obeying, the driver became confrontational and used abusive language at the officer, according to a video that has been shared on social media. Police say the officer stayed calm and did not argue back. The driver then drove off northbound. Police have not yet established the registration number of the vehicle. ## Background Traffic officers stop vehicles every day to check road tax, insurance and fitness. Road tax shows that the vehicle is registered and licensed, and insurance is meant to make sure that anyone hurt or whose property is damaged in a crash can be compensated. Driving without either is an offence, which is why officers ask drivers to pull over and park. ## Why it matters A traffic officer who is insulted and ignored at the roadside has no way to enforce the rules, and drivers who see this happen may feel they can do the same. For ordinary road users, uninsured vehicles are a real risk: if such a vehicle causes a crash, the victim may have no one to claim from. ## What happens next Police want anyone who saw the incident, recognises the driver or knows the vehicle to come forward. Members of the public with extra video, especially f