End of ZUPCO monopoly hailed
Providence Moyo
Stakeholders have welcomed the end of Zimbabwe United Passenger Company monopoly on public transport following a High Court ruling which declared the parastatal’s stranglehold on the transport sector, “invalid, irregular and unlawful.”
Bulawayo High Court judge, Justice Evangelista Kabasa presided over the case in which Tshova Mubaiwa, a network of kombis that operate within Bulawayo challenged provisions of section 4 (2) of the Public Health (Covid -19 Prevention, Containment and Treatment) National lockdown) Order 2020, which established ZUPCO’s status as the sole public transporter and effectively banned private players.
Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA) Chairperson, Ambrose Sibindi said his organisation was happy at the court outcome.
“We are happy with the return of more players in the transport industry because this will encourage competition in the sector. Each player will up their game to outshine other competitors and that can only be good for commuters. We expect the transport challenges to ease.
Zupco’s monopoly was unsustainable and residents’ right to choose their preferred transport was being violated. ZUPCO’s failure to cope with demand meant people arrived late for work and returned home late thereby placing them at the mercy of robbers,” he said.
He implored the returning transport players to respect road regulations and behave accordingly so that they gain the the trust and support of locals.
The ban on private players had rendered scores of touts, drivers and conductors unemployed. Some Kombi owners were hard-hit as they had no other means of income.
In court, Tshova Mubaiwa argued that their members were left unemployed and their right to choose and carry out a profession of their choice had been violated.
Posting on their Twitter account Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights said the ban of other players was unconstitional.
“The ban also violated their right to administrative justice as enshrined in section 68 of the Constitution. In representing Tshova Mubaiwa, we sought to advance the rights to administrative action and the rights to a trade of one’s choice as enshrined in section 64 of the constitution,” they tweeted.
Mengezi Ndlovu a New Magwegwe tout, said the liberalization of the transport system comes as a relief to him and colleagues who had been rendered jobless
The ZUPCO monopoly was introduced in 2020 as a mitigation strategy at the height of the pandemic.
The then Minister Health and Child Care, Obadiah Moyo, Police Commissioner-General, Godwin Matanga, Local Government Minister July Moyo, and President Emmerson Mnangagwa were cited as first to fourth respondents respectively.
