BULAWAYO is set to have 76 more Zupco buses to ease
transport problems in the province, with President Mnangagwa expected to
commission them on Friday.
Bulawayo Provincial Affairs Minister Cde Judith Ncube said
this during the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association’s
official launch of the Dutch bakery in Entumbane suburb, Bulawayo yesterday.
The commissioning of the buses will bring the Zupco fleet
in the city to 169. Zupco buses charge $1,50 per trip on routes that private
operators charge $5. Zupco has also introduced 80 kombis in Bulawayo that
charge $2 per trip.
The latest batch of buses to be commissioned by the
President are part of the 1 000 ordered from China with another 500 buses
bought from Belarus.
Cde Ncube said the commissioning of the buses will coincide
with that of the National University of Science and Technology (Nust)
Innovation Hub and the institution’s graduation ceremony.
“On Friday the President will be officially commissioning
76 buses in Bulawayo. He will embark on two other key activities which include commissioning
of the Nust Innovation Hub and capping of Nust graduates,” she said.
“I am happy that the President saw it fit to come to our
rescue as Bulawayo residents. I was however expecting about 100 or more buses
for Bulawayo but there is need for us to share the cake with our rural
provinces and other provinces.
“We therefore appreciate the little that we have received
as a city because the buses are going to make a huge difference in terms of
access to affordable transport.”
Cde Ncube commended Government for its commitment to ease
transport challenges by availing reliable and affordable transport to the
people. She said the increase in the number of buses is meant to
bring relief to Bulawayo residents that are being ripped off by private
operators.
“We really appreciate the introduction of these Zupco buses
that have bought relief to our commuters. The transport woes will be a thing of
the past now that members of the public have more access to affordable
transportation that values safety of its commuters. We still need a lot of
Zupco buses to serve a great purpose to our populace,” said Cde Ncube.
The 76 buses are part of an overall Government drive to
revamp the sector and introduce a mass transport system.
Meanwhile, Cde Ncube said the commissioning of the Nust
Innovation Hub reflects active participation of State universities in
contributing towards industrialisation of the country.
She said it also reflects spirit of unity in the nation as
we are moving towards achieving sustainable development.
“The commissioning of the Nust Innovation Hub reflects
efforts made by the important university in Bulawayo in contributing to
economic development. This development will automatically promote creation of
employment.
“The participation of the Head of State in such projects
also means a lot and it demonstrates the importance of us as a nation uniting
for a purpose to achieve sustainable development using our own tools and
machinery,” said Cde Ncube.
Government has already commissioned the University of
Zimbabwe and Midlands State University’s innovation hubs and the President has
said that universities should drive the transformational trajectory towards an
upper middle-income economy by 2030.
Zupco acting chief executive officer, Mr Everisto Madangwa,
said they want the fleet for Bulawayo to reach 295.
He said kombis are 80 and the parastatal is targeting 223.
Chronicle
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