27 Dec 2013

Residents of Lesoma in the Chobe District have a new way of life. It is a first-ever public transport, a mini bus that takes them to Kasane and back.

The mini bus that has been operating since November 25, 2013 has eased the difficulty of unreliable transport, which residents had grown accustomed to.

The driver of the mini bus, Mr Nchidzi Machuwe, said in an interview that the business was subdued because Lesoma residents were not yet used to the service. The fare is P8 per person. “We rely mainly on driving within the village for roughly 15 minutes, signaling to commuters that we are in operation and we also request those who have used our service to market us,” Mr Machuwe said.

A resident and Parents and Teachers Association (PTA) chairperson, Mr Kawana Poniso, said that through the introduction of the mini bus, the residents saw an improvement for people who travel during the mornings and evenings but noted that during the day people were still experiencing transport challenges.

However, Mr Machuwe’s response was that their trips were determined by the number of people they found at the bus stop at Sesheke or in Lesoma. He said in the afternoon, it was proving difficult to undertake trips frequently because there would be one or two people at the bus stops. He added that Lesoma residents relied on hitch hiking to Kasane.

Mr Poniso added that there was an expectation from customers that the mini bus should operate similarly to those that commute between Kasane and Kazungula. However, he was quick to mention that the movement of people found in both areas was different.

A Lesoma resident, Mr Jeffery Ernest, who owns a vehicle agreed with the sentiments expressed by the public transporter. “Lesoma is a small village, we know each other and it is not easy to drive past the people I find hitch hiking at the bus stop especially if the combi is nowhere in sight,” he said.

Mr Ernest added that demarcated bus stops for Lesoma residents would help within the village and said this would prevent the mini bus going from house to house leaving those at the bus stop waiting for too long. ENDS