‘Privatise Sakubva Bus Terminus’

GOVERNMENT has urged Mutare City Council to open up Sakubva Bus Terminus to private partners.

Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs, Cde Mandi Chimene, said she engaged the local authority on privatising the terminus.

“When I look at Sakubva Bus Terminus, popularly known as Musika Wehuku, I get emotional, especially with the number of people we have in Mutare, who can afford to do something about its state,” she said.

“That terminus has been like that ever since I can remember. I have already talked to the National Social Security Authority to come on board. I am also calling on property developers to also come to board and contribute in whatever way.”

Sakubva is one of the busiest bus terminuses in the country, receiving traffic from within Zimbabwe, as well as to and from neighbouring Botswana, Mozambique and South Africa.

The terminus is overcrowded almost on a daily basis, as it also caters for hundreds of rural farmers, who travel to Mutare daily to sell their fruit and vegetables, as well as vendors who sell their wares.

Cde Chimene expressed hope that Government would get an investor soon and restore order at the terminus.

“The festive season is almost upon us and we will see an increase in the number of travellers who will be using that terminus,” she said.

“These people will be exposed to the vagaries of weather. We don’t want that to continue. I don’t expect that place to remain like that after all these discussions about it.”

Cde Chimene said council would not be entitled to any proceeds from the terminus should a private player be engaged to carry out the construction work.