A ZANU PF senator has pleaded with the government to provide a financial bailout to the struggling Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (Zupco) to protect consumers from accidents and criminal activities perpetrated by unregistered operators.
In a motion raised in the Upper House yesterday, Senator Angeline Tongogara expressed dismay at the country’s poor public transport system.
She called on the government to provide financial assistance to Zupco and for law enforcement agencies to intensify a crackdown against unregistered operators.
“Now, therefore, we call upon the government to provide financial assistance to both the State-owned Zupco and private transport operators so that they can acquire more vehicles for public transport,” Tongogara said.
She also called for law enforcement agencies to impose stiffer penalties on individuals found flouting road rules and endangering public lives.
Government reintroduced the long-abandoned Zupco in January 2019 to ease the burden of high transport costs faced by commuters. In February this year, Zupco terminated contracts with private owners of buses plying urban routes. However, Zupco has been grounded amid reports of corruption and mismanagement.
