Africa-Press – Mozambique. The Maputo Municipal Assembly on Friday voted to authorize an increase of between 20 and 25 per cent for bus fares in the city.
The Municipal Council had announced in November that fares would be increasing, but no fare rise would take effect without approval of the elected municipal assembly.
Fares, both for buses and for minibuses, will rise from 10 meticais (about 16 US cents) to 12 meticais, an increase of 20 per cent, for distances of up to 10 kilometres. For longer distances, the fare rises by 25 per cent, from 12 to 15 meticais.
The transport operators have been demanding a fare rise, claiming that without one they cannot possibly operate at a profit particularly after the late October increase in fuel prices. The price of the diesel used by most passenger transport operators rose from 57.45 to 61.71 meticais per litre – an increase of 7.4 per cent, much lower than the fare increases.
The operators say it is not all about fuel, and claim that the prices of tyres, spare parts and maintenance, have risen substantially since 2015, the last time a fare rise was authorised.
The fare rise was authorized by the Assembly with only the deputies of the ruling Frelimo Party voting in favour. The members of both opposition parties, Renamo and the Mozambique Democratic Movement (MDM), voted against.
The spokesperson for the Assembly, Edgar Muchanga, promised that measures will be taken against dishonest transport operators, particularly against the practice of shortening the routes, whereby passengers are obliged to take two buses for a route that should be covered by one. Buses will also be obliged to respect the timetable, and to treat passengers correctly. Muchanga added.
The new fares will take effect on 2 January.
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