CIVIC society groups and residents associations yesterday blasted Energy minister Zhemu Soda’s utterances urging Zimbabweans to park their cars and use Zimbabwe United Passenger Company buses (Zupco), while announcing another fuel hike on Wednesday.
Addressing the media, Soda said: “Let’s park our vehicles for now, that is an
encouragement, yes, because the government has already gone ahead of this
situation that we are into currently by providing these buses. Let us make use
of the Zupco buses to and from our work stations in the interim while we watch
what is happening on the international arena.”
Reacting to Soda’s utterances the Zimbabwe Peace Project
(ZPP) tweeted yesterday: “How about Zimbabweans say to the Energy minister and
all top government officials: Park your cars and use Zupco, Cde ministers?”
Later, the ZPP told NewsDay: “It points to a government that is out of
touch and insensitive to the plight of people. ZPP continues to raise concern
about government’s insensitivity to people’s transport problems and this is one
example.”
In its August 2021 report ZPP noted that the unavailability
of safe and reliable public transportation had become a major human rights
issue.
“Members of the public, therefore, end up resorting to
using trucks and other vehicles, popularly known as mushikashika as public
transport or they spend hours queuing for Zupco buses, exposing themselves to
COVID-19 and losing productive time,” the ZPP report read.
Passengers Association of Zimbabwe (PAZ) acting national
spokesperson Andrew Chibanda said: “That’s throwing a petrol bomb to the
already delineating situation because the transport system is already in its
doldrums. Private vehicles are playing a crucial role in bridging the gap. The minister should also use these public
buses. He is not in touch with reality
and his statement is careless rhetoric.”
Chitungwiza and Manyame Rural Residents Association
secretary Brighton Mazhindu said: “It’s
unfortunate that the government is passing on the buck to the citizens, it is
government’s duty to provide affordable transport to the working population as
this promotes production.”
Chitungwiza Residents Association director Alice Kuveya
said: “We all know that Zupco buses are not enough to cater for citizens. We
have witnessed women being abused waiting for buses for over three hours. At bus termini there are no benches for
resting. We have people with disabilities who cannot stand for a long time.”
Fuel went up on Tuesday from US$1,51 per litre for petrol
to US$1,67 and US$1,68 for diesel from US$1,51 as the government alleged that
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was causing global oil prices to rise.
A comparison of fuel prices in the Southern Africa
Development Community region shows that Zimbabwe’s fuel is exorbitant than the
neighbouring countries.
In Angola petrol costs US$0,33 and diesel US$0,28. In Mozambique
petrol costs US$1,08) and diesel US$0,96), Botswana (petrol US$1,08 and diesel
US$,08), Zambia (petrol US$1,21); (diesel US$1,06), and in South Africa petrol
costs US$1,38 and diesel costs US$1,39. Newsday
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