Transport fare hiked on Kigali-Butare route

SOUTHERN PROVINCE HUYE — Commuters on the Kigali-Butare route will have to pay more money in transport fare as different travel agencies operating on the route hiked them despite a reduction on fuel prices. Last week government announced a reduction on petrol and gas oil prices by 4.761 per cent. Transport fares on the Kigali-Butare route however, that were quoted at Frw1600 over the last few months, this week shot up by and extra Frw400. This is the fare charged by major transport companies like Volcano express, Horizon Express, Atraco, Sotra Tours and new entrant Muhabura express. The Kigali-Butare route is highly lucrative because Butare is the country’s second largest city. It is also home to the National University of Rwanda. Commuters on the route have seen unrelenting changes in transport fares as the different companies struggle to gain supremacy of the route. There are about 50 twenty five coaster buses plying the Kigali-Butare route. Last week Sotra Tours announced a slash on its fares from Frw1600 to Frw1300. To avoid being out muscled, Volcano express slashed its fares further to Frw1000. All the agencies followed suit, only to raise their fares to Frw2000 this week. “We are being ripped off by these companies. They change ticket prices at their will, we call upon concerned authorities to step in and stop the chaos in the transport business,” said a visibly infuriated Thierry Sangwa a resident of Huye town. Olivier Nzeyimana, the proprietor of Volcano Express- the major transport agency plying the route could not be reached by press time. Other staff at the different Transport agencies remained tight lipped on the matter when reached for comment. Ends