Kimberly Kusauka
Transport operators under the Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (ZUPCO) franchise have reportedly withdrawn their services in Masvingo over alleged failure by the transport parastatal to honour its side of the agreement to pay them their monthly dues.
The development left commuters in Masvingo urban stranded as they had very limited transport alternatives to get to their respective work places.
A survey by this publication in the Central Business District (CBD) showed that there were no commuter omnibuses at most pick-up points throughout the day.
At the pick-up point adjacent to Glow service station, there were only two buses that were transporting commuters to Mucheke and Runyararo surbubs.
Contacted for comment Zupco Masvingo area manager Rashy Mazarire declined to comment on the development.
“I do not comment,” said Mazarire before hanging up the phone
Government banned privately owned commuter omnibuses in 2020 after the government declared a nationwide lock down in an effort to curb the spread of Covid-19.
Commuter omnibus operators were forced to register under ZUPCO for them to operate or risk being pushed out of business.
The banning of private operators resulted in the incapacitation of ZUPCO to offer transport services or even meet the demand of travellers, which resulted in long queues at pick up points and bus termini across the country.
Running battles between police and illegal pirate taxi operators has characterised the whole of the Covid19-era, leaving commuters scrambling for the few Zupco kombis available.
However, despite the onslaught on the Illegal operators by the police, they seem to be defying the odds as they continued to invade the CBD to offer services to travellers
