Transport chaos in Harare as government suspends fuel subsidies

By Tererai Karimakwenda
10 January, 2008

Thousands of commuters were stranded in Harare on Thursday after most bus operators took their vehicles off the road, due to a lack of fuel. Reports said that people travelling to work were struggling to find private vehicles willing to carry passengers. The few minibuses that still had fuel were overwhelmed by demand. Our sources in different areas of the capital said no filling stations had any fuel supplies.

This development is just another on the growing list of collapsing infrastructure. Zimbabweans are already dealing with serious water and power rationing and shortages of basic foods and medical drugs.
Several bus drivers told our Harare correspondent Simon Muchemwa that the government subsidy programme that provided them with cheaper petrol had been suspended. Designated stations that service them were completely dry. The drivers said this situation was temporary but there was no official announcement from the authorities regarding supplies.

Muchemwa said government had been supplying buses with fuel at Z$6 million for 200 litres, to enable them to charge fees that were more affordable for commuters. But in fact there is not enough fuel available on this subsidy, so operators are having to acquire more fuel on the black market – pushing up the amount they charge.

Muchemwa said a single trip on a minibus to the central business district, from outer suburbs like Chitungwiza, now costs as much as Z$2 million. Trips from areas closer to town cost Z$1 million. Bigger conventional buses charge about Z$500,000.

Additionally the government run ZUPCO buses are rarely seen on the roads these days as due to poor maintenance most of the buses cannot be used. He said the few that are functional are being used to ferry government employees to work or mourners to funerals. Mismanagement and massive corruption at ZUPCO have also contributed to the transport crisis.