THE community of Chisambiro in Mutoko, in Mashonaland East Province, is grateful to Zupco for providing a good service with its buses. NYAMADZI TAWENGWA
The route from Harare is almost 260km and it has always suffered the scarcity of public transport because of poor roads and terrain. At one time there were virtually no buses plying the route. People were ferried by lorries to Mutoko centre, before getting buses to Harare. It was a torrid time for the Chisambiro Community.
Several bus operators serviced the route briefly, but they did not last. People were forced to walk for distances up to 20km before they could get transport to Harare or Mutoko centre.
One man, popularly known as Bhonzo, who used to work for a bus company that used to service the route, is now employed by Zupco and had great influence in the introduction of Zupco buses on this route.
With reasonable fares the Harare-Chisambiro route is being well served by Zupco since August last year. Despite the roads, the bus company has shown reliability and commitment.
The courteous, honest and caring bus drivers have become popular in the community and they know all bus stations well. This allows relatives in Harare and other areas to send parcels via the buses.
Bhonzo said, “I feel comfortable plying the route. The Chisambiro community is so good to work with. They are humble people.
Whenever there is a breakdown, they bring us food. They assist where possible. At one time when our bus was stuck in the mud, they brought yoked oxen to pull us out.
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Tanene Chabata, a general dealer at Chisambiro shops said, “My business has drastically improved. I purchase my groceries and scuds (opaque beer) In two days’ time because the buses are servicing the routes daily. I am always with enough stock unlike before. I used to hire an ox-drawn cart for the collection of my orders at Makaha Business Centre which is 20km away. With the coming in of Zupco, I have been relieved a lot.”
Departing at Mbare Musika around 9am, by around 3pm, the bus would be at Chisambiro Centre. It is this adherence to timetables that the community loves as it makes their travel plans easy. Buses plying the route previously used to reach the destination by midnight. People used to sleep at the shops because they were afraid of hyenas in the area. They would not risk travelling at night after disembarking from the buses.
Simbai Nyamadzi, who is a resident of Chisambiro community and works at Mutoko General Hospital, said, “I am now reporting for work daily coming from home. Zupco buses are punctual. I start work at 08:00am. The buses pass by my homestead at Mapona around 6:15am. They reach Mutoko Centre in time. I am now enjoying seeing my family on a daily basis.”
Pregnant women within the community used to walk distances of up to 20km to Kapondoro Clinic which is the nearest health facilty for their medical checkups. Zupco has since changed that. Wendy Kasine, who is pregnant, said, “It’s now easy for me travelling to Kapondoro Clinic for checkup. I board the Zupco bus in the morning and get attended to. By 1pm I will wait for the other Zupco bus coming from Harare and I get back home in time. The distance is too long to walk. Thumps up to Zupco, it has reduced the burden of walking.”
Patrick Kamungeremu, a resident in the Chisambiro community said, “Zupco is the best service provider compared to other service providers which used to operate in this route. A day before Christmas, I arrived at Mbare Musika thinking I was not going to find a bus to my rural area in Chisambiro, but I was pleasantly surprised to see four Zupco buses waiting to ferry people to Chisambiro. There was no pushing and shoving at all.”
