The shelter at Zimbabwe’s biggest bus terminus has been completely destroyed – by time and vandals. Travellers queue for hours, unprotected from either boiling sunshine or pouring rain.
The Mayor of Harare, Benard Manyenyeni, told The Zimbabwean that the council had not deliberated on the issue, so he could not tell whether the terminus would ever have a face lift.
“I am hearing of the bad state of Mbare Musika from you for the first time. When was this terminus vandalised or lost some of its features? Is it a recent development you are talking about or something that happened long back?” Manyenyeni asked.
His response suggests that elected ward councillors in Mbare and other residential areas are not raising issues that concern their areas at council meetings. The Combined Harare Residents Association called on both residents and Harare City Council to play their respective roles and restore the bus station to its former state.
Public good
“As CHRA we would like to encourage Harare to regularly service the station and other public facilities around town. Residents and people who use the bus terminus should be educated on how to preserve such infrastructure, as these are for the public good,” said Simbarashe Moyo, the chairperson. He called on residents to be responsible and desist from criminal activities that result in vandalism.
Edington Mugova, the national coordinator Zimbabwe Reveal for Peace, a local NGO dealing with issues to do with responsible citizenship and peace, said residents should take a leading role in the protection and preservation of public facilities.
“Bus termini benefit residents and other people in transit, so, they should be protected by all citizens. Local authorities should join forces with responsible citizens to keep the facilities in good shape. Unfortunately, Mbare Musika has been left in a sorry state,” Mugova said. He suggested that, as the station was the biggest in the country and located in the capital city, the authorities should give it a faclift as a matter of urgency.
Lack of care
Roofing sheets at the station have been stolen and headed for the black market or vandalised for the fun of it by rowdy people. Vendors who ply their trade at the busy station expressed concern at the council’s lack of care for important facilities.
They lambasted the council for continuing to demand vending licences from poor vendors, but doing nothing to ensure that they were sheltered from scorching heat or rains, depending on the season.
“During the rainy season, our vending business hits an all-time low level as people shun the market due to lack of overhead shelter. The same applies when temperatures are extremely high,” said Veronica Tarumbwa, 56, a fruit vendor at Mbare since 1997.
She remembers when council last replaced broken asbestos roofing sheets at the station and never returned, save for refuse collection.
Post published in: Business