Stop Punishing Passengers- MDC Alliance Challenges Mnangagwa
4 September 2021
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Tinashe Sambiri|The MDC Alliance has challenged the Zanu PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa to stop punishing passengers for his own blunders.

Instead Mr Mnangagwa should focus on address the root cause of the transport crisis, according to the MDC Alliance.

ZUPCO buses are failing to cope with the number of urban commuters who want to be ferried to and from work.

Seee statement below:

Stop Punishing Passengers- Address Root Cause

MDC Alliance on Mshikashika Fines

Ever since the introduction of ZUPCO as the sole mass public transporter in Zimbabwe, the MDC Alliance led by President Chamisa had warned the government of the dire consequences of this unreasonable move.

Consequences of monopolisising the transport sector more so with an inept government controlled company with a deep history of failure were foreseeable from the start.

ZUPCO is not not capable to serve the growing mass travellers both intra and inter city.

The failure by ZUPCO to serve the public has created an opportunity for private players to serve the needy travellers.

Most of these private players have always been registered as Transporters but have been pushed out of business at the introduction of ZUPCO as the sole transporter.
What government needs to realise is that, the ZUPCO registered vehicles are too few as compared to the demand by travellers.

This therefore means that faced with a crippling shortage of transport, travellers will resort to private players.

In an attempt to curb the spread of the deadly Covid disease, a people centred government would have allowed registered private transporters to ferry people under a regulated environment which includes :
1- Reduced number of passengers in order to allow for social distancing.

Three quarters of normal carrying capacity is recommended.

  1. Regular sanitization of the vehicle at the end of each trip.
  2. Insistence of masks on all passengers on board.

The insistence of government on the current ZUPCO model where in the buses are always over Loaded and do not observe any Covid protocol simply corroborates the fact that the ZUPCO initiative is one among many of the looting vehicles by close ascosiates to Zanupf leadership.

It’s not about the people but always about profiteering at every opportunity.
Demanding fines from passengers of private vehicles is an unimaginable act from a careless government which do not deserve any day longer in Office.

Hon S Chikwinya

MDC Alliance National Secretary for Transport

Hon Settlement Chikwinya