{"id":1740,"date":"2026-02-18T18:38:20","date_gmt":"2026-02-18T18:38:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thewasupost.co.zw\/?p=1740"},"modified":"2026-02-18T18:38:20","modified_gmt":"2026-02-18T18:38:20","slug":"from-1-tears-to-transport-relief-why-mutare-must-embrace-scuta-buses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thewasupost.co.zw\/index.php\/2026\/02\/18\/from-1-tears-to-transport-relief-why-mutare-must-embrace-scuta-buses\/","title":{"rendered":"From $1 Tears to Transport Relief: Why Mutare Must Embrace SCUTA Buses"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Fanuel Chinowaita<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Dr Esau Mupfumi<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Mutare<\/strong> – For weeks, Mutare residents have endured the pain of being overcharged by commuter omnibuses\u2014forced to part with US$1 for distances that should cost 50 cents. Schoolchildren, the elderly, and low-income workers were left stranded or exploited. When desperation peaked, relief came\u2014not from threats or operations, but from buses that showed up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That relief arrived through the leadership of Dr Esau Fungai Mupfumi, Chairperson of the Stage Carriage Unified Transport Association (SCUTA), an association formed in 2024 to professionalise and stabilise public transport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mupfumi\u2019s record speaks for itself. He entered the transport business in 1995, serving routes to Chimanimani, Bocha, Marange, Nyanga and later Birchenough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By 1999, his buses connected Bulawayo, Harare and Masvingo, under the old Zimbabwe Stage Carriage Association. In 2000, his excellence was recognised regionally when he was recorded in the SADC Guinness Book as the best individual public transport operator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Politics aside, Mutare residents know one thing: when transport crises strike, Mupfumi shows up. In 2019, he became the first local businessperson to deploy his own buses during shortages\u2014an idea later adopted nationally through ZUPCO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Just last week, as commuter omnibuses hiked fares to a dollar and vanished at the sight of enforcement, SCUTA stood firm. Gold Class buses rolled in\u2014charging fair, predictable fares\u2014and so did buses from First Class Academy (Mr Mutsongodza), alongside other SCUTA members such as Mupota, Matsatse and Inter Africa (long-distance). This was service, not slogans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yet, these efforts appear unrecognised. SCUTA buses still lack proper ranking space. Mudzviti Bus Terminus\u2014historically meant for buses\u2014is now dominated by commuter omnibuses that continue to charge a dollar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why isn\u2019t SCUTA given first preference to use and upgrade this terminus? The current conditions\u2014bucket toilets, dilapidated shades\u2014are unworthy of Mutare. SCUTA has the capacity to fix this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recent enforcement exposed deeper questions. When operations began, commuter omnibuses fled. If they are compliant, why run from the Vehicle Inspection Department and the Zimbabwe Republic Police? Do they hold fitness certificates, route authorities, and rank discs? City authorities must answer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mutare residents have spoken with their feet\u2014and their relief. SCUTA buses wiped tears, restored order and put people first. If fairness, safety and dignity matter, then it\u2019s time to support SCUTA, prioritise proper bus ranking and shun exploitative commuter omnibuses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Public transport should serve the people\u2014not bleed them.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Fanuel Chinowaita Mutare – For weeks, Mutare residents have endured the pain of being overcharged by commuter omnibuses\u2014forced to part with US$1 for distances that should cost 50 cents. Schoolchildren, the elderly, and low-income workers were left stranded or exploited. When desperation peaked, relief came\u2014not from threats or operations, but from buses that showed…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1740","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-local-news","category-special-features"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thewasupost.co.zw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1740","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thewasupost.co.zw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thewasupost.co.zw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thewasupost.co.zw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thewasupost.co.zw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1740"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/thewasupost.co.zw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1740\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1745,"href":"https:\/\/thewasupost.co.zw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1740\/revisions\/1745"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thewasupost.co.zw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1740"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thewasupost.co.zw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1740"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thewasupost.co.zw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1740"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}