Transport and Communications Minister Brian Mushimba today took time to use a public minibus from Chilanga to town and back with his son.

In a brief statement after his bus rides today, Mushimba said there was need for better buses on the roads.

“Two mini bus rides from Chilanga into town for a total of K16 between the two of us. My resolve is to do something about public transportation under the holistic and comprehensive umbrella of improving and uplifting public transportation in our country is reinforced,” stated Mushimba.

“We certainly need better equipment with required leg room, enough spacing, enough head room and good ventilation and most importantly seat belts. We need the drivers and conductors associations that vet appropriately those that transport us on public transportation to ensure they undergo necessary training and provide better services to the general public. The dignity and pride in our public transportation has to be uplifted.”

On October 12, Mushimba revealed that he had made it a habit to use public transport from Lusaka’s Chilanga area to town every weekend in order to observe how the sector operates.

“I actually make it a point on weekends to use public transportation. I live in Chilanga at the moment and I jump on a public mini bus, the Hiace buses from Sandy’s Creation there to come into town. I usually have a hair cut believe it or not, I have some hair cut, I usually cut it on weekends, and then I go back home. So I experience public transportation almost on a weekly basis. It (public transport sector) needs a lot of work and that is squarely in my domain and I have been thinking through how we can sanitize public transportation a bit, the behavior of some of our drivers and the conductors, the equipment that is being used, its just abusive to the public,” said Mushimba.