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Fungai Lupande Mashonaland Central Bureau
Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (ZUPCO) has come to the rescue of people in Mbire District after availing a bus to service the Mbire-Kanyemba route.

The introduction of the bus has brought relief to people living along the route who were being overcharged by private operators.

Speaking at a Cotton Company of Zimbabwe event in Mushumbi, Mbire district, legislature Cde Douglas Karoro said people in Mbire were happy and were calling for additional buses to service other routes like Chitsungo-Chifaka.

“We also want another bus for the Mahuhwe-Chidodo route,” he said.

“People in Masoka are travelling for 42 kilometres on foot to reach Angwa area so that they can board the Zupco bus plying the Kanyemba route.”

Cde Karoro, who is also the Deputy Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Climate, Water and Rural Resettlement thanked Government for providing grain in Mbire, which was hit hard by drought.

“We are receiving maize, but our challenge is that some months it is coming late or failing to come because of transport,” he said.

“The grain is not reaching furthest places and some unscrupulous are demanding money.

“The Grain Marketing Board general manager agreed to foot all the transport costs, this only happened for a month.

There are certain people here who ran to transporter influencing them to refuse transport contracts from GMB because their fares were low.

“They wanted people to contribute, I was disappointed to learn that some councillors were involved.”

Cde Karoro donated 700 school uniforms for the under privileged learners to be distributed in all schools in Mbire.

Commenting on Zupco buses, acting provincial development coordinator Mr Cosmas Chiringa said the province received six buses and 30 more were needed to ease transport challenges.