Zimbabwe: Zupco Set for 500 New Buses in Major Transport Revamp

What the report says

Zimbabwe’s state-linked public transport operator, ZUPCO, is set to receive 500 new buses under a procurement programme aimed at improving passenger services nationwide, according to 263Chat, which AllAfrica republished. The plan is being handled by the Mutapa Investment Fund, with chief executive John Mangudya saying 185 buses are expected before the end of 2026.

The report says the new vehicles would expand ZUPCO’s current fleet of 267 buses already operating across the country. The move is presented as part of wider efforts to strengthen Zimbabwe’s transport system and improve the movement of people and goods.

Mangudya also linked the investment to broader support for the aviation sector. According to the article, the fund has helped Air Zimbabwe return two aircraft to service, covered lease payments for an ATR42 on domestic routes and an Airbus A330-300 on the Harare-London route, and is considering smaller aircraft for domestic and regional connectivity.

More broadly, the development signals continued state-backed intervention in transport infrastructure, a sector often associated with service gaps and capacity constraints in Zimbabwe. The article does not give a full timetable for all 500 buses, but it indicates that deliveries are meant to begin this year and continue under the same programme.