![Minibuses, the only way to travel in discomfort in Malawi]()
Minibus owners are to meet this week to chat the way forward following the decision by government to ban mini vans Nissan Vanette and Mazda Bongo which pack passengers like saldines.
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![Minibuses, the only way to travel in discomfort in Malawi]()
Minibuses, the only way to travel in discomfort in Malawi[/caption]
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![Privately operated minibuses]()
Privately operated minibuses[/caption]
Minibus Owners Association of Malawi (Moam) Coxley Kamange said the owners would be meeting to brain stop on what to do next if the government moves in to ban the small minibuses.
The Road Traffic director said the government was concerned with the vehicles carrying people saying they were manufactured to carry goods.
This was after the Parliamentary Committee on Transport asked the road traffic directorate if it was aware that the vehicles pack people four on each line of chair and conductors could be rude if one or two of the people are fat.
The Parliamentary Committee on Transport chairman Victor Mbewe asked the government to ban the vanets or bongo as minibus operators force desperate passengers to sit four on each line of chair instead of three.
Moam also wants government to consider reducing tax on motor vehicle tyres as well as extending the tax waiver imposed on new and used motor vehicles not exceeding eight years to 10 years.
Kamange appealed to Finance Minister Goodall Gondwe to consider extending the duty waiver to enable indigenous Malawians to bring in more minibuses so that they can phase out the mini vans, such as Nissan Vanette and Mazda Bongo.
Minibuses, the only way to travel in discomfort in Malawi[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_108934" align="alignright" width="570"]
Privately operated minibuses[/caption]
Minibus Owners Association of Malawi (Moam) Coxley Kamange said the owners would be meeting to brain stop on what to do next if the government moves in to ban the small minibuses.
The Road Traffic director said the government was concerned with the vehicles carrying people saying they were manufactured to carry goods.
This was after the Parliamentary Committee on Transport asked the road traffic directorate if it was aware that the vehicles pack people four on each line of chair and conductors could be rude if one or two of the people are fat.
The Parliamentary Committee on Transport chairman Victor Mbewe asked the government to ban the vanets or bongo as minibus operators force desperate passengers to sit four on each line of chair instead of three.
Moam also wants government to consider reducing tax on motor vehicle tyres as well as extending the tax waiver imposed on new and used motor vehicles not exceeding eight years to 10 years.
Kamange appealed to Finance Minister Goodall Gondwe to consider extending the duty waiver to enable indigenous Malawians to bring in more minibuses so that they can phase out the mini vans, such as Nissan Vanette and Mazda Bongo.