Biti says ZUPCO should fall under Transport Minister Mhona, July Moyo imbavha

HON. MOLOKELA-TSIYE: On a point of order. The Hon. Minister may need to be reminded that the so-called sanctions are not more than 25 years old. ZUPCO has been having problems throughout since 1980. In the 90s we had transport problems. So the problems of ZUPCO are far older than sanctions. Stop using an excuse that does not exist.

HON. ZIYAMBI: Ndikakupindura unochema. Thank you Madam Speaker. Notwithstanding that the Hon. Member who has spoken is completely lost,we had an efficient transport system in the early 80s and that is not a fact. It is a myth. Having said that Madam Speaker, the problem that we had is, in any business you need to retool and ensure that you renew your fleet. The problem we had now with sanctions imposed on us, we had a shrinking economy, we were not free to trade with everyone. That compounded even our transport system. I am saying so on the backdrop that everything having been equal, we should have developed our transport system to a level that we would marvel with. However in 2018, His Excellency embarked on a programme to ensure that we have new buses within ZUPCO and that process has eased the transport shortages and ensured that transportation in Zimbabwe is affordable. That programme is continuing. We are even having collaborations and partnerships, joint ventures to ensure that we have buses that are assembled in Zimbabwe. All this is being done to ensure that we ease the transportation shortage. So the issue per se is not where the local municipal transportation system is housed but to ensure that we have adequate reliable buses within our roads. I thank you.

HON. A. NDEBELE: On a point of order Madam Speaker.

THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: What is your point of order Hon. Ndebele?

HON. A. NDEBELE: Madam Speaker, with the greatest of politeness due, may I request for a ministerial statement so that it does not look like I am putting the Minister in a corner because in her response, she speaks of limiting transport fares to a certain amount, an amount she did not state readily. She also speaks to controlling the fares and the establishment of a bus manufacturing plant and there are no timelines attached thereto. Therefore, I am requesting that we give her time to bring to this House, a ministerial statement that will enunciate all these steps that her Ministry is considering in the provision of an efficient public transport system.

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