Online Reporter
Zvamaida Murwira
Senior Reporter
GOVERNMENT has extended a one-year duty-free privilege for public service bus imports, which was initially supposed to end on February 14.
This development will now see the import window running until the end of this month. The privilege to import buses duty-free was meant to revolutionise the transport sector through the provision of a conventional, affordable, and reliable transport system for the commuting public.
The extension is contained in a Statutory Instrument published in an Extraordinary Government Gazette this week by Finance, Economic Development, and Investment Promotion Minister, Professor Mthuli Ncube.
“The Customs and Excise (Suspension) Regulations, 2003, published in Statutory Instrument 257 of 2003, are amended in section 9HH by the deletion of the words “14th February, 2025” and the substitution of “30th April, 2025,” reads the notice.
Initially, the Government granted bus operators a one-year grace period that allowed them to import buses duty-free, resulting in the importation of over 1,500 buses. Introduced in 2022, the facility enabled approved transport operators to replenish their fleet.
The importation of buses saw a huge number of buses being brought in as bus operators jostled to replenish their fleet. It was a huge relief for many bus operators who commended the Government for facilitating the importation of buses, saying it will help them satisfy the requirements of their market.
The bus operators also commended the Government’s decision to lift customs duty on Semi-Knocked Down (SKD) kits for buses and trucks, saying it will help empower the local industry.
In his 2025 budget, Prof Ncube said the Government was redirecting resources to boost local vehicle assembly, identified as a priority under the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1).
The move aims to enhance local value chains, create jobs, and position the industry for growth.
It was also envisaged that the suspension of duty on buses would not only ease transport challenges but also reduce fares. On its own, in recent years, the Government, through the Zimbabwe United Passenger Company, has brought in hundreds of buses that have been distributed around the country to ensure that the public is not ripped off by uncouth and often rowdy unregistered transporters.
