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Freedom Mupanedemo
Midlands Bureau
The new-look Kudzanai Long Distance Bus Terminus in Gweru is now open, but the management is allowing only 20 percent occupancy of the vendor stalls at the moment in line with the Covid-19 regulations and with the intercity ban, buses and kombis are banned.

The terminus and its associated market were closed last year for a major upgrade after the city council entered into a partnership with a private contractor, Bentach Resources. Bentach did the facelift and is now managing the terminus.

Bentach Resources project manager Mr David Kudakwashe said they have opened vending stalls to the public, but have only accommodated 20 percent to reduce congestion in the terminus.

The bus bays will be used once the Government allows intercity travel and then cross-border travel.

Mr Kudakwashe said when working at full throttle, Kudzanai Bus Terminus will be able to accommodate 800 vendors and over 400 buses.

It’s a huge upgrade which was done and we have only done the first phase. When complete, it will be able to accommodate over 800 vendors, he said. A vending stall was going for between $150 to $400 per day while kombis and buses will be required to pay between $1500 to $2 000 per day.

Those vendors dealing with vegetables are paying $300 per day while merchandisers pay $400 per day.

Waiting rooms have also been completed at the newly refurbished Kudzanai Long distance bus terminus in Gweru.

“Hardwares and mini shops will pay $650 per day while those roasting maize cobs and groundnuts pay $150 per day. All the fees were pegged in consultation with the vendors, he said.

Long distance buses will pay $1 500 for using the bays while cross border buses will be forking out $2 000 for loading a bay at the terminus.

Meanwhile, some of the vendors who spoke with The Herald said the new charges were beyond their reach as Bentach appeared to be selecting the upper levels of the vendor groups.

I had a stall here before it was upgraded and what we used to pay was equivalent to $10 per month.

Now we are supposed to pay daily and the figure amounts to about $12 000 a month which is way high, said a vendor who requested not to be named.

Another vendor, Mrs Lilian Mbetu, said she could not get a vending stall after she failed to raise the $7 000 required as deposit.

I have been a vendor who has been operation at Kudzanai Bus Terminus for 13 years, but I can’t go back there because I can’t raise the deposit needed.”