Ivene, Mtapa, and Kombayi ranks near completion

GWERU City Counci

GWERU City Council (GCC) says refurbishment works at Ivene, Mtapa and Kombayi Ranks are nearing completion, despite prolonged delays that have affected operations at the city’s major informal trading and transport hubs.

In 2021, at the height of Covid-19, commuter omnibus operators and vendors at Kudzanayi Long-distance Bus Terminus, Ivene rank,and Kombayi fresh produce markets complied with a Government directive to vacate their dropping-off and pick-up bays as well as trading spaces to allow renovations.

Following these upgrades, Kudzanayi now accommodates buses, travellers and traders selling refreshments, fruits and clothing.

However, the situation at Ivene and Mtapa rank had remained unresolved for commuter omnibus operators and vendors who specialise in fresh produce and various items.

Ivene bus rank now has new vending stalls and parking bays but remains closed and vendors and commuter omnibus operators are operating from undesignated points.

In Mtapa, there are some new shops but they remain closed and vendors are using make shift sheds.
Gweru City Council, in partnership with the Ministry of Women Affairs, has constructed vending stalls at Mtapa Market. Silveira House is donating US$50,000 to complete the outstanding works on the project.

The acting town clerk, Mr Livingstone Churu, said major works at the ranks are largely complete, with only outstanding contractual elements still to be addressed before full commissioning can take place.

“It’s almost complete, but there are some contractual elements that need to be addressed in terms of construction. We are more than 90 percent,” he said.

He acknowledged that while significant progress has been made at Ivene Rank, additional work is still required at Kombayi Rank, with Mtapa Rank also forming part of the council’s ongoing development plans.

“More work needs to be done at Kombayi, and not forgetting Mtapa,” he said.

Mr Churu said Mtapa Rank remains a strategic component of the city’s broader framework to reorganise and formalise informal trading activities in line with urban planning objectives.

“Mtapa is part of the matrix in terms of realigning the programmes of the informal sector. We already have a plan and materials are being procured,” he said.

As part of efforts to improve orderliness and working conditions, the council plans to install proper shades at the ranks and ensure that traders are formally registered and recognised.

“We are going to put shades there so that everything is regulated and we are in the process of registering the beneficiaries so that they are recognised,” Mr Churu said.

He highlighted the informal sector’s crucial role in Gweru’s economy, stressing that it should be incorporated into the city’s development plans while ensuring cleanliness and order are maintained.

He stated that upon resolution of outstanding contractual matters and finalisation of materials procurement, the completion of Ivene, Mtapa and Kombayi bus ranks will enhance regulation, infrastructure and co-ordination of informal trading activities throughout the city.

Mr Obvious Gonamombe, the acting chairman of Gweru Residents Trust commended the local authority for working tirelessly to ensure that vendors and commuter omnibus operators work in favourable conditions.

“At the end of the day, it is all about bringing order to the city. Vendors will soon have proper vending stalls and ablution facilities while commuter omnibuses will have state of the art parking bays online with the smart city concept that is being spearheaded by the Second Republic, “ he said.