Government has directed public transport operators countrywide to reduce fares following the reduction in fuel prices.
Minister of Transport, Works Supply and Communications Yamfwa Mukanga said transport operators should not resist reducing fares as it is only fair and logical.
The Minister told journalists in an interview in Livingstone that public transporters always seek to increase fares when there is an upward adjustment in fuel prices but fail to adjust downwards when petroleum prices drop.
“I don’t know why transport operators are hesitant in reducing the transport fares and yet fuel has been reduced,” he said.
He said the high transport costs have a negative impact on pricing of essential commodities.
Mr Mukanga said it is only fair for transporters to reduce fares to enable the public benefit.
“I want to see the transport cost go down so that our people can benefit. Why should people be paying the same fares when fuel prices have dropped? Public transport operators should state the reason why people should continue paying these high transport costs,” he said.
He urged transporters to be honest and reasonably reduce fares.
Mr Mukanga disclosed that he will soon meet all operators to chart the way forward on the matter.
Last month the Energy Regulation Board announced a reduction in the pump price of fuel. Petrol is now K7.60 from K9.89 per litre, Diesel is pegged at K6.59 from K9.18 per litre while Paraffin costs K4.69 from K7.49 per litre.
please goverment these transporters are decampaining pf . the people who vote are the ones who are still paying high fares yet these transporters are bisy making huge profits. pf please quickly make them reduce fares country wide . 2016 is around the corner. let people benefit when fuel goes down. please dont even wait for a meeting with them ,just instruct them to comply immidietely and reduce fares. transporters have stollen enough please make then reduce fares. remember most of these owners of buses dont even vote.
Mr. Mukanga, sure how can the transport groups reduce fares when there NO agreement to the effect of how much?
Yes reducing fares is vital as fuel world wide has dropped the pump prices, but a leeway needs to be done.
The minister of agriculture hon Lubinda insinuated that mealie meal prices had been dropped by a mere K4, henceforth be there a reduction of transport fares by K2.
Just a reminder hon Mukanga, where is the national airline which you echoed that it will be in operation by 24th October, 2014? This is 26th February, 2015 & the national airliner is NOWHERE to be seen. Hon Mukanga, why are you MUTE now? Donchi Kubeba illusions are affecting the entire PF. One needs to be a drinking front friend & if you’re an acquaintance,of PF, forget about being employed…
Mr Minister, why not reduce the other operational costs which PF increased like insurance, monthly tax, and Bus fitness in line with the reduction in bus takings, then Bus operators will also adjust their fares down wards. In as far as I remember PF increased fuel about three time in three years but only allowed bus operators one increment.
If the monthly tax is charged as a percentage of cashing, it would be easy for Bus operators to adjust fares in line with the fuel reductions.
Bus operator taxes can be efficiently collected if the government can regulate the fare payment system by introducing bus fare registers linked to ZRA via wireless to monitor how many trips the bus has made in a day and how much cash has been collected for each journey.
Here in the UK, buses are…
The minister is a lunatic who thinks the only cost that goes into transport is fuel. What about the tyres, spare and servicing costs and salary of the driver. The chaps should think of reducing their salaries instead of calling on transport operators to reduce the fairs. Its tantomount to harrasment. The deal with corrupt cops day in and day out.
Ba Minister what about the high cost of imported spares.The exchange rate is unprecendently high and your goverments monetary policies have failed to halt the depreciation of the Kwacha.
These operators are nothing but selfish. this is the problem with an open free market. Some regulations need to be put in place
The Minister should be action oriented. We have been hearing about this song of reducing for so too long now. Mukanga should state weather he is with the people or transporters. PF is pro-poor and its leaders should show that in their discharge of duties. This is now just buying people’s time. Don’t make president Edgar Lungu to fail as he is the man of the people.
God is punishing we the poor because he wants us to open our eyes and thinking so that next time may be we will vote using our heads. Let’s suffer the most.
Just dialogue with them rather than forcing, minister. Mind you, the issue of reducing fuel was forced on you even when you knew it was the right thing to do.