The Zambia Road Safety Trust (ZRST) is very encouraged by Transport and Communications Minister Hon. Brian Mushimba, MP, for using public transport during weekends in preference to riding in his Ministerial vehicle.
Minister Mushimba was last Sunday pictured in a minibus and quoted by the media saying that he was very happy that he had taken the ride on the bus because it was an eye opener to do something about public transportation, under his ministry’s holistic and comprehensive umbrella of improving and uplifting public transportation in our country.
As ZRST, we are concerned that public service vehicles in Zambia are paced with rowdy and unruly drivers who pay little to no attention to the traffic rules. The minibuses are overcrowded, lacking in space and information, are clamped and often uncomfortable and those who ride in them are seen to have no other better alternatives. The alternative model use of private vehicles has increasingly resulted in congestion, poor mobility and air pollution. The government and other stakeholders have in the past tried to bring sanity to this industry, little or nothing has changed.
ZRST mission is to see an improvement in public transport safety and comfort with less pollution. Research shows that most of the traffic deaths and injuries occur by public service vehicles, either as passengers, drivers or even passing pedestrians. Over 2206 people were killed in 2016 on Zambian roads, an increase of nearly 100 percent since 2010.
Chairman for the Zambia Road Safety Trust Daniel Mwamba said:
“When it comes to public transport services in Zambia, responsibilities are often ambiguous divided among different agencies (the police, councils, RTSA, RDA, etc) and misaligned goals and complicating policies has led to inefficient resource allocation among ministries.
“As result public transport has suffered, highly represented in traffic accidents, car ownership has increased, public funding is used in ineffective ways and urban and transport planning has become disconnected from another.
“It is for this reason, that we appreciate the minister’s new attitude, and we shall support him in addressing the main ills that our urban transport system current faces in Zambia”.
The minister rides public transportation on weekends as he has explained. This he has been doing for a long time first as a private citizen but with new meaning now since he is in charge of policy on public transportation. We appreciate such leaders that are practical and don’t make decisions from the comfort of their offices only.
Nick and I just came from
Zambia and what a sorry site it is. I doubt I will now go back to zambia . Whilst I’m at it I sill spit at this passport and shun away from touching it.
The country is so poor it’s not even funny compared to
Glasgow. People selling on the streets, from
Ridiculous hot weather to people selling nshima and Brito in
Restaurants ( get out or f here )!
I’m glad I’m back and feel
Ashamed to have gone and visit my I’ll Aunt.
Men look obese
Sent from my iPhone 8
Thanks
Bb2014,2016
Good plans have been there before and by now there would have been a functional BRT and not the death trap para-transits currently operating. The horrible cartel led by Kankara will not accept improvements in the sector …
@Mushota, although I always have a variance of opinions from yours, this time around, I agree with your observations in totality. Lusaka and many towns and hamlets I? Zambia are filthy. I even wonder why some of my kin and kith were recently crying for Astrida Banda’s blood when she compared Lusaka to a game park. Thanks Mushota for bringing this problem to the free. Zambians, let’s further discuss this topic.
What is so special about this? Ordinary working public workers do this on a daily basis, i remember watching one mayor in Europe who rides a bicycle to work. It would have been news if he was a movie star, music star and i mean A lister stars or a billionaire or millionaire in all currencies not Zambian, Congolese whatever or zim dollar, he is just a public servant.
Nice one…
Nice one indeed….
A pragmatic approach, let’s hope something good comes out of this but be warned, he will be fighting his fellow ministers who have cartels in the transport sector.
Agaun my post deleted when i said that the minister is just setting up the docile for when the chinese buses come. Pf the pro poor. They love the poor so much they are making more zambians POOR
The US $ DOLLAR TODAY IS 9,98 TO KWACHA HOW MUCH IS OUR DEBT NOW. WHAT DO WE OWE IN VAT NOW THAT WE PAY MINES IN US $ NOT KWACHA. MINISTER MUTATI DID U FORESEE THIS IN YOUR RECENT BUDGET
You are wrong..
A lot of things have changed. The public transport system never used to be this malicious. It’s like the minibuses own RTSA and the public Zambian roads.
They intimidated, push, and do whatever they please. Right in front of RTSA, and RTSA doesn’t touch them.. why?
This minister is a very promising young leader. Well done and urge your colleagues to opt for smaller ministerial vehicles in order to reduce govt expenditure. Thank you, Sir!
Fi Conductor ifyalamba kuti nachifulama pamwinshi elo chilepemena uikele mupepi pamutwe. The Police does nothing and some Mini buses are just pathetic.
When u sit kwati walilemana kanshi chipuna. And about being rude boy kwati fyafyalwa kuli nyina umo