By Tadiwa Shunje
MASVINGO – Residents from Wards 7 and 8 in Masvingo City have called on the local authority to install a tower light at the footbridge between Rujeko and town, citing rising cases of robbery and attacks at the crossing.The concerns were raised during the 2026 Second Quarter Budget Performance Review held at Rujeko Hall on September 23, where residents engaged council officials over service delivery challenges and received a breakdown of the city’s budget performance.
One resident told the meeting that a young man from TM had allegedly been stabbed at the footbridge two days before the meeting, and residents found a large amount of blood at the scene the following morning.
“There are many cases of robbery and attacks at the footbridge. We need a tower light there and neighbourhood watch police in the community to prevent such incidents,” the resident said.
Residents also raised concerns over the distance they have to travel to Mucheke Rank to board long-distance buses, with elderly residents saying the journey was costly and difficult.
One elderly resident, Kudzai Munyuki, said the council should establish designated bus picking points in Rujeko because Mucheke Bus Rank was too far.
“I am elderly, and I cannot walk to Mucheke Rank when I want to board a bus to Harare. I have to take a taxi, which is expensive. We do not have direct taxis that go to the rank. I have to take a ride to town and then another one from town to Mucheke Rank before I can board the bus. It is a long process,” she said.
She suggested that buses should be allowed to pick up passengers in Rujeko or that Metro Peech should be reopened as a picking point.
Another resident said Mucheke Bus Rank was now too small for the growing number of buses, calling for more ranks to be created.Residents also raised the problem of mosquitoes, calling on the council to come up with measures to control them.
Concerns were also raised over the condition of public toilets at the town bus rank, with residents questioning why the council could not introduce pay toilets to improve cleanliness and maintenance.
Other issues raised include the need for recreational facilities, with calls for a swimming pool and sporting grounds in Rujeko, and a maternity facility so residents would not have to travel to Runyararo.
They also called for a market similar to the one in Mucheke, complained about the cost of residential stands in Rujeko D, and praised council for regular refuse collection while complaining that bins were being damaged during collection.Responding to the concerns, Masvingo Town Clerk Engineer Edward Mukaratirwa said council had taken note of the issues. On the proposed bus picking points, he said council was aware of complaints surrounding Mucheke Bus Rank.
“Residents are complaining that we are failing to sleep because of bus hooters. It is also causing a lot of thieves because people will think that they are going to board a bus, but they are actually thieves. But we have taken note of that,” he said.
He said the council would work on the mosquito problem and explore possible solutions, including mosquito nets.
On the maternity facility, he said council expected construction to start this year at Rujeko D, with completion expected early 2027 if funds permit.
On toilets, he said council had planned to build three in town this year but redirected the money to build toilets at Mucheke Grounds.
He said the issue of a marketplace was already being discussed.
Eng Mukaratirwa said council had held a meeting with its officers to find ways of bringing order to Mucheke Bus Rank, and on the reopening of Metro Peech as a picking point, he said the facility had previously been used for that purpose alongside Croco Motors, but bus drivers had turned them into termini.
Presenting the budget performance review, Senior Credit Controller Isau Nyengera said the council had improved Gymkhana, constructed multipurpose courts at Mucheke, and purchased equipment for Runyararo Clinic, including 25 delivery beds for US$41,714.29.
Other achievements included the construction of swimming pool ablution facilities at Runyararo West, maintaining a constant water supply across the city, and moving the municipal police towards digital operations.
