Chapo responds to the transport crisis to alleviate suffering in Greater Maputo

On Monday (11), the President of the Republic, Daniel Chapo, delivered a total of 190 buses intended for public and school transport in the Maputo Metropolitan Area, at a time when thousands of citizens were facing enormous difficulties in reaching their destinations due to the strike by transport operators.

The ceremony took place in the municipality of Matola and marked the immediate entry of the new vehicles onto the roads. Of the buses delivered, 150 will be distributed among the municipalities of Maputo City, Matola, Marracuene, Manhiça, Boane, Namaacha and Matola-Rio, while 40 will be exclusively destined for school transport, within the scope of a pilot project implemented in the City and Province of Maputo.

In a speech marked by a tone of urgency and social concern, Daniel Chapo ordered drivers to go directly to the bus stops, emphasizing that the population could not continue waiting amidst the transportation crisis in Greater Maputo.

“We have no time to lose. The people are waiting at the bus stops and we are going to transport our people,” declared the Head of State, before hundreds of citizens and operators present at the scene.

The measure comes in a context of strong economic and energy pressure, aggravated by the increase in fuel costs, a situation that has led semi-collective transport operators to demand an adjustment of fares.

During the ceremony, the President acknowledged that the increase in fuel and essential goods prices directly affects the cost of living for Mozambican families, but stressed that this is a reality that transcends the country's borders.

"The increase in the price of fuel, transport and essential goods is not a phenomenon isolated to Mozambique, it is a global reality," he stated.

In response to the crisis, Chapo highlighted that the Government continues to adopt measures to reduce the impact on the population, including fuel subsidies, strengthening the public fleet, and investing in the use of vehicular gas.

Another highlight of the event was the launch of the new Public School Transport service, which will feature an electronic system called “Baza”. The initiative foresees a significant reduction in travel costs for students, setting the fare at 12 Meticais, half the price currently charged on many urban routes.

The introduction of the new buses represents an attempt by the Government to alleviate the daily suffering of passengers, especially at a time when long queues at bus stops, a shortage of transport and high travel costs have marked the routine of thousands of citizens in Greater Maputo.