Eyebrows were raised when the government announced that it would be introducing ZUPCO some weeks ago. It’s something that did not seem to make sense, the NRZ is supposed to be a transport company that is quite capable of running its own passenger service to compliment ZUPCO’s failing monopoly. Well, it seems the government is digging in with the arrangement as they have revealed they would be launching ZUPCO trains in Gweru and Bulawayo.
This was revealed by NRZ’s chairman of the board Martin Dinha. He claimed that new locomotives, wagons and coaches would be used to re-equipment the failing parastatals fleet towards the end of this year and these would be used to launch ZUPCO trains.
Recently, we witnessed the introduction of ZUPCO trains to cushion commuters and the response has been overwhelming from members of the public.
We launched the ZUPCO trains in Harare and soon we will be introducing this in Bulawayo and here in Gweru as we look to revamp our railway transport system
He also revealed that the corporation had also managed to clear salary backlogs going as far as 2009. While this is encouraging experience has taught us to be very wary of government announced plans. You only celebrate such when they come to fruition. We have had a lot of megadeals and plans involving NRZ and nothing has come out of it in the end.
Currently, the NRZ is using barely functional wagons and coaches as part of its bizarre ZUPCO program. Some of this equipment dates back to the Federation Era over half a century ago and has drawn mockery and criticism.
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