The MDC expresses
its condolences to the families who lost their loved ones in the Epworth ZUPCO bus disaster.
May Their Souls Rest in Peace.
We are concerned by the continuous unnecessary loss of life on the roads.
The roads are delapidated while funds meant for refurbishment and mantainance the roads are being looted by political fat cats who are linked to ZANUPF.
Both the Auditor General and the Public Accounts Committee have exposed the rot in ZINARA yet nothing has been done to hold the individuals accountable.
Then comes the terrible ,kneejack ZUPCO scheme.
The buses which have been contracted especially for high density routes are not road Worthy.
There is no mechanism to even check their fitness to transport people day in day out.
Then comes the issue of ferrying more than the prescribed number of passengers in the buses.
The unpalatable suffering of the people have left Zimbabweans with no choice other than using the ZUPCO scheme.
This unfortunately is resulting in loss of life. The Harare accident comes on barely a few months after another ZUPCO bus plunged into a bridge in Torwood Kwekwe resulting in several people bieng injured and another losing life.
We therefore propose the following:
1.That the use of unroad worthy buses in the sham ZUPCO deal be stopped forthwith.
2.Development and implementation of a holistic road infrastructure refurbishment programme.
3.A return of road funds to local authorities.
- Designing of a proper public transport system including the metro especially connecting places like Epworth, Chitungwiza,Ruwa and Norton,the same must apply for Bulawayo.
5.More importantly the government must take full responsibility for the bus disaster including financial responsibility for funerals and health attention of injured survivors. - The establishment of a Road Accident Victims Compansation Fund as agree to by Parliament, where accident victims recieve compansation fund for the rest of their lives.
Hon Settlement Chikwinya(MP)
MDC National Secretary for Transport
