Zupco abuse has to end

The use of Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (Zupco) buses to prop up First Lady Grace Mugabe’s political career is despicable and should be stopped forthwith.

The use of Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (Zupco) buses to prop up First Lady Grace Mugabe’s political career is despicable and should be stopped forthwith.

Zupco buses emblazoned with big posters of the First Lady have become a common sight on the country’s roads since her endorsement to lead the Zanu PF’s women’s league last month.

The abuse of State institutions such as Zupco, National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) and the District Development Fund, to name just a few, by Zanu PF functionaries is certainly not something new.

Zupco, NRZ and several other parastatals have gone to the dogs mainly because of interference by Zanu PF and the propensity to force companies to deploy their resources for free to aid party programmes.

Zanu PF has failed to make a distinction between the party and the State hence the abuse of resources that borders on criminality.

However, such behaviour is not expected from the First Family, which should be leading by example.

Grace is already one of the biggest land owners in Zimbabwe after acquiring most of the properties through force and she does not need to ride on a crumbling parastatal to build her political career.

Zupco as it is cannot fulfil its mandate to provide cheaper and convenient transport to ordinary Zimbabweans because of political interference.

The pasting of Grace’s pictures on buses appears to suggest that Zupco belongs to a political party yet it is a State institution that is funded by taxpayers.

Credit should go to MDC’s Matabeleland South provincial chairperson Pilate Moyo for speaking out against the abuse.

It is the duty of opposition political parties to provide checks and balances to the excesses of the ruling party.

However, it appears the opposition went to sleep soon after the July 31 elections and Zanu PF is being allowed to literally get away with murder.

Local Government minister Ignatius Chombo should be taken to task about the abuse of the Zupco buses. State resources must not be used for internal party business.