By Virginia Njovo
Tensions ran high during Masvingo City full Council meeting on February 24 as councillors continued with a debate over the Mucheke Rank resolution where they had opted for a boom gate at Croco Motors as a way of revenue collection as well as controlling the buses which pass through the ancient City.
In the January full council meeting, councillors had resolved that the Old Croco Motors rank be transformed into a pickup point and would install a boom gate to generate revenue for old Mucheke Bus Terminus renovations.
Mucheke Bus Terminus was abandoned over a decade ago, with long distance buses going to Harare or Bulawayo using the Old Croco Motors as rank. Those going to the east use Metro Peach Downtown rank and the issue has remain unsolved for years.
Ward 9 Councillor Bernard Muchokwa said it would be useless to put a boom gate at Croco Motors saying there was need for a lasting solution in contrast to the January resolution.
“Council should adopt long lasting solutions when it comes to the removal of buses at Croco Motors. The boom gate resolution is not practical, its better we gazette a US$1 000 fine for those who use Croco Motors. I am sure this will scare and force them to use the Mucheke Rank which is our main goal,” said Muchokwa.
Ward 10 Councillor Sengerayi Manyanga said it was almost impossible to remove business operators at Croco Motors instantly.
“Do you think it is easy to remove Inter Africa or Stallion Cruise buses who use Croco Motors as their rank? It is better to implement the boom gate resolution rather than bringing new ideas every meeting we won’t go anywhere,” said Manyanga.
Deputy Mayor and ward 5 Councillor Daniel Mberikunashe who was chairing the meeting supported Manyanga saying the resolution should stand.
“We all support resuscitation of Mucheke Rank but I think it is better if we install a boom gate at Croco Motors and get money for renovations of Mucheke Bus terminus rather than bringing new ideas that are contrary to previous resolution,” said Mberikunashe.
Ward 1 councillor Sabina Chikwangwani said vendors were doing cat and mouse games with the municipal police in town because they followed the buses and said if the Mucheke Rank was resuscitated the vendor menace will be reduced in town.
“Buses should go back to Mucheke terminus where residents can do their business and pay rates here. Where do you think they will get the money as they are being chased by municipal police in town, some of them are of old and they lose their stock everyday so we cannot put a boomgate there,” said Chikwangwani.
The Mucheke terminus was expected to be refurbished through a build-operate-transfer (BOT) system, copying Gweru’s Kudzanayi bus terminus model, but failed to materialize and buses continue using the Central Business District (CBD) for pick-ups and drop offs.
