Kudzanai Bus Terminus to be converted into a shopping mall

GWERU has taken the first steps to convert Kudzanai Bus Terminus into a shopping mall, the City Council confirmed yesterday.
Tapiwa Marerwa, the deputy town clerk, said the civic engineering department had since started the process of servicing the new site for the terminus in Mutapa.
He said the project was aimed at decongesting the Central Business District and curb health hazards like poor sanitation.
Said Marerwa:"The plans to relocate our main terminus still stand. We have managed to put a squat tank, sewerage, bays among other things on the new site."
Marerwa told the Chronicle that the relocation of the terminus would help develop Gweru into a modern city.
"The relocation will give room for us to transform the Kudzanai Bus Terminus area into a shopping mall which in my view is a positive move. Our planned mall will compete with the likes of Harare's Joina City among others," said Marerwa.
He also said the project would help improve the council's service delivery due to an increased revenue base in rates that will accrue once the envisaged shopping mall comes into existence.
"Our revenue will increase since the setting up of a shopping mall will accommodate businesses of all types that will be paying rates to council. This will help us take care of our roads and all the other areas that need attention," said Marerwa.
Marerwa said the relocation of the terminus would not affect businesses operating in the environs of Kudzanai.
He said the new long-distance bus terminus would also have commercial stands that would provide for flea markets and shops for the business community.
Marerwa said the relocation of the terminus and the development of a new shopping mall would help reduce the high demand for commercial stands.
He said businesses would now be operating in spacious and well-constructed infrastructure with much improved sanitation.
"Once completed, the new projects will help reduce overcrowding in the CBD and end the shortage of space for flea markets. We also hope to eradicate the problem of rubbish dumping for good as we will have better public toilets," said Marerwa.
Gweru City Council first mooted the idea to relocate the long distance bus terminus in the early 2000s. The project was briefly suspended for a while owing to the country's economic hardships.
Marerwa said the multi-currency regime had stabilized the economy, hence council's decision to revisit the terminus relocation project.
He said council revisited the project last year as part of a broader scheme to lure investors and developers to Gweru. "All investors who want to come and partner us are welcome and we also appeal to developers to come on board. There are lots of opportunities in Gweru," said Marerwa.