Online Reporter
George Maponga
Masvingo Bureau
Masvingo City’s Mucheke Bus Terminus has come back to life after the city council ordered all long-distance buses to start using the facility again as part of efforts to restore sanity in the city.
Mucheke Terminus had been mothballed since the days of the Covid-19 pandemic, with long-distance buses operating from undesignated points in the central business district.
The development left Mucheke a shadow of its former self after it was deserted. Now the glorious old days are back after Masvingo City Council ordered all buses to return to the terminus effective today.
Long-distance bus operators heeded the call and the terminus is now a hive of activity ahead of the official opening of the 19th Sanganai/Hlanganani Dzimbahwe Tourism Expo in the ancient city tomorrow.
Mayor Councillor Alec Tabe said the decision for long-distance buses to operate from Mucheke terminus was no fluke.
“It’s not a temporary measure but a permanent solution to end lawlessness and disorder in Masvingo CBD and I am happy that long-distance buses are now back at Mucheke,” he said.
“Gone are the days of lawlessness and disorder in the city, more long-distance buses in the CBD, no more mushikashika and those days are now behind us.”
Councillor Tabe said life has now been restored at Mucheke Bus terminus after it was deserted about seven years ago.
“We are going to put in place the requisite infrastructure at Mucheke, from ablution facilities and boom gates so that the facility can be used effectively. We also want to avoid any potential revenue leakages.”
According to Mr Tabe, the Masvingo CBD should be clean and orderly as the ancient city eyes industrialised metropolitan city status by the year 2030.
There have been mixed feelings over the council’s decision to order long-distance buses back to Mucheke and the relocation of kombis and taxis to a new place at the eastern fringes of the city.
