SYDNEY SAIZE IN MUTARE
Some private bus operators contracted by the Zimbabwe United Passengers Company (ZUPCO) to ply urban routes in Mutare, withdrew their services owing to poor state of the roads, Business Times can report.
The move by the franchised buses left commuters stranded and walking long distances into and from town and far off dropping points.
‘’Who would want to continue servicing a route that keeps you visiting the garage now and again?
‘’It is sad the transport service had to be removed as we realised that as operators the council had neglected rehabilitating the roads. The roads had become impassable and would replace spares frequently, ’one operator, Patrick Makande, told Business Times.
Efforts to get a comment from the Zimbabwe Stage Carriage Association representative for Manicaland Province, Esau Mupfumi, were futile.
His mobile phone continuously went unanswered.
The ZUPCO transport service was, however, restored in some areas such as Chikanga, Hobhouse and Sakubva high residential suburbs after some roads were rehabilitated.
Mutare city council spokesperson Spren Mtiwi said the council was incapacitated to offer the rehabilitation of the city’s roads.
“At the moment we cannot do that as council has no money for that,” Mtiwi said.
Mutare mayor Blessing Tandi said the council had not neglected the roads as alleged but the local authority was channelling funds to what he said ‘priority’ areas.
“It is not an issue of neglecting the roads. As a council we are looking at priority areas that need urgent attention and not the roads.
“We are yet to receive our ZINARA [Zimbabwe National Road Administration] grant to rehabilitate the roads, as soon as we get that there would be improvement on the road network around the city,” Tandi said.
ZINARA public relations officer Tendai Mugabe said the roads fund for councils is only released to local authorities that produce acquittals of past funding.
“I am not so sure if Mutare has produced and sent the acquittals, if they have done so, surely they will receive the funding they need,” Mugabe said.
