The Maravi Post

LILONGWE--The Minibus Owners Association of Malawi (MOAM) will Tuesday, August 14, 2012 increase bus fares in the country.

In an interview with Malawi News Agency on Monday, MOAM’s Secretary General Coxley Kamange said they’d a rise in fuel prices prompted the increase.

“As you know, Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (MERA) has raised the price of fuel. As MOAM we are affected by the development such that we have agreed to raise the price of bus fares in the country by 10 percent for the buses operating on longer routes and five percent for the buses operating in the cities,” said Kamange.

According to MERA diesel is selling at MK 475.00 from MK 445.60, petro at MK 485.60 from MK 441.10 and paraffin is selling at MK 390.00 from MK 367.00.

Commuters, as expected, aren’t happy with the development.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, one said government: “I ask government to introduce city bus lines which used to operate decades ago. If such plans were reintroduced by government… there would also be competition.”

On his part, Country Representative for Let’s Talk Africa Open Discussion Forum, Stellar Ndalapa Mhango, said
“MOAM should avoid exercising unilateral decisions in changing bus fare prices.

“They need to be fare with passengers in the country,” said Mhango.
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©2012 The Maravi Post. Reproduction authorised, with usual acknowledgment.