The Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (ZUPCO) is poised to kick-start the procurement of hundreds of new buses within the next three months. This development comes after the successful conclusion of key procurement processes, including securing supplier agreements and finalizing financial terms, which had stalled the project for nearly a year. ZUPCO has been working to acquire 500 buses since October 2023, and the project is now entering its implementation phase.
According to Mutapa Investment Fund chief executive Dr. John Mangudya, the procurement process will be gradual, starting as soon as the agreed financial terms are fulfilled. The bus acquisition initiative is part of a broader dual strategy aimed at not only importing buses but also reviving Zimbabwe’s local vehicle assembly industry. A memorandum of understanding has already been signed between Indian manufacturer Ashok Leyland and the Industrial Development Corporation of Zimbabwe to support the local assembly of buses and trucks.
The move is expected to ease public transport challenges in both urban and rural areas while stimulating local industry and creating jobs through the reactivation of key assembly plants. ZUPCO’s acquisition of new buses will be done in phases, with the procurement of semi-knocked down kits from Ashok Leyland for assembly at Willowvale Motor Industries and Deven Engineering.
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