The Standard
BY CAIPHAS CHIMHETE

AS the transport crisis caused by an acute fuel shortage escalated, three people were seriously injured when they were knocked down at Mbare Musika by a bus they tried to board. The Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (Zupco) bus was in motion as scores of stranded passengers jostled to board it.

There were chaotic scenes at the largest bus terminal in the country where stranded travellers have slept in the open for days.The injured three — a woman and two men — were quickly rushed to Harare General Hospital, where they were treated and discharged on the same day.Eyewitnesses said as the bus arrived at the terminus scores of people rushed to board it resulting in the three being knocked to the ground."After they had fallen down, they were trampled upon by hordes of people still pursuing the bus," said Tinashe Madamombe, a witness. "It was ugly."The Harare hospital’s casualty department yesterday confirmed it had treated three people knocked down by a bus in Mbare. When The Standard visited Mbare Mu-sika, there were thousands of people desperate for transport. Most said they had spent three days waiting for transport. "I have been here since yesterday but with this pressure, I don’t think I will travel home today either," said Lucia Mapako who intended to travel to her rural home in Nyamapanda. "My child is hungry but I can’t buy anything because I am left only with money for bus fare."

Fifty-two- year-old Rosewitta Dumbu, who had travelled from Masvingo and intended to go KwaBhora, about 50km from Harare, appealed to pres mug to solve the transport crisis."Look, I have these grandchildren," she said. "Where do you think I will go and sleep tonight? mug should help us." The pres is now in Malaysia for a conference.Dumbu said the transport problem had become a national crisis that needed urgent high-level attention before next week’s Heroes’ and Defence Forces’ holidays.As she travelled from Masvingo, she said, scores of people were stranded along the highway. Even getting a bus to major cities such as Mutare, Masvingo, Gweru and Bulawayo has become a nightmare.For short distances of 20km or less, some people were walking.But those who could not walk, were sleeping in the open, some with children as young as two years, exposed to the chilly night weather. Some have run out of money to feed the children because of the prolonged stay at the terminus.Stranded travellers said bus operators were taking advantage of the crisis to hike fares. Some buses were charging as much as $700 000 from Harare to Mhondoro, a distance which would normally cost $200 000