At least 200 public service buses are on their way to Zimbabwe, while another 500 buses are still being manufactured under a Government-supported programme aim...
At least 200 public service buses are on their way to Zimbabwe, while another 500 buses are still being manufactured under a Government-supported programme aimed at improving urban public transport and dealing with illegal touting activities in cities.
The Zimbabwe Passenger Transport Organisation (ZPTO) confirmed the development after meeting its members in Harare. The organisation said the programme would introduce uniform branding and centralised route management to bring order to public transport operations and reduce the influence of touts who extort operators and harass passengers.
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The project is being led by the private sector and is being implemented in partnership with local authorities. According to ZPTO, the initiative seeks to improve urban transport services and protect commuters from rising transport costs linked to increasing global fuel prices.
ZPTO currently operates more than 3,000 buses across the country. The organisation said transport services in intercity and rural areas remain stable, but urban centres such as Harare, Bulawayo, Mutare and Masvingo are experiencing serious shortages of public transport.
The shortage has created opportunities for some operators to charge high fares. In some cases, passengers travelling to Chitungwiza are paying as much as US$3 for a single trip, while fares to Budiriro have reached US$2.
ZPTO chairman Dr Samson Nhanhanga said the organisation was making final preparations for the introduction of the new buses. He said the first batch of 200 buses had already left China and would arrive in Zimbabwe soon, while another 500 buses were still under production.
“The first batch of 200 buses has departed China. We expect them very soon, and we have also 500 buses which are still under production,” said Dr Nhanhanga. He added that the organisation had previously focused on intercity and rural transport but there was now a significant shortage in urban areas, particularly Harare, Bulawayo, Mutare and Masvingo.
Dr Nhanhanga said introducing a common branding system and managing routes centrally would help eliminate illegal touting cartels operating at bus ranks. He said operators were currently losing about 10 percent of their income to touts who do not pay taxes. “Currently, we are struggling with touts who charge us 10 percent and do not pay tax because there is no order,” he said.
Government support for the programme has also included tax incentives for transport operators. Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube recently suspended import duty on public service buses with effect from January 1, 2026. The measure was introduced through Statutory Instrument 74 of 2026 and was intended to help cushion commuters from fare increases caused by rising global oil prices linked to the US-Israel-Iran conflict.
Authorities said the policy would lower costs for operators seeking to modernise their fleets while also supporting long-term development of the local vehicle assembly industry. The move allows operators to import high-capacity buses at reduced costs while maintaining future support for local manufacturing.
The development comes as Harare City Council is also seeking to modernise its public transport system. Addressing councillors during the 1947th Ordinary Council meeting, Harare Mayor Councillor Jacob Mafume said the city should speed up preparations to accommodate the incoming buses. He said the city wanted to adopt modern transport systems observed during the recent World Forum in Azerbaijan.
“They have a beautiful bus transport system, and we want to adopt that transport system. We met some people who have bought 200 buses,” said Clr Mafume. He urged the city to complete negotiations quickly so that public transport services could be expanded.
The mayor acknowledged that the city had faced criticism in the past for failing to provide adequate public transport. He said private investors had taken the initiative to purchase buses and stressed the need to provide them with a workable and sustainable plan to support future growth of the sector.
