News / National
Mystery surrounds 'haunted' bus
5 hrs ago | Views
In the Chitungwiza area near a car repair garage at Chikwanha Shopping Centre, there is a parked bus that residents claim has not moved for several months - but has been displaying strange and mysterious behavior.
Locals say the bus, which used to operate on the Gandavaroyi route in Gokwe, now appears to "come alive" every morning and evening at 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., lighting up its front headlights without any human intervention.
According to multiple reports, residents have even heard music playing from inside the seemingly abandoned vehicle, seen figures sitting quietly as if dozing off, and witnessed a conductor shouting for passengers to board.
After hearing these unsettling accounts, a journalist spent five consecutive days observing the bus during the claimed times and confirmed that the lights do indeed turn on at those hours.
Speaking to Kwayedza this week, several community members expressed concern and disbelief over the strange happenings - among them Tatenda Gurwe (34), who identifies himself as the owner of the bus.
Adam Gaku of Chitungwiza said many residents believe the bus is haunted.
"That bus near Chikwanha is cursed. Sometimes you hear music from it even when no one is inside. Other times, it changes direction on its own. One morning I saw the green headlights switch on, and again in the evening. But during the day, they're off," he said.
Another local, Innocent Kasadza, offered a different view.
"Some people say the solar-powered lights switch on at night due to lack of battery storage. Others believe business owners use traditional rituals for success. Even us as conductors, we work with them because we need the money."
Kainos Matimbanyoka shared an eerie tale:
"The bus used to be near Velvet Service Station before being moved to Chikwanha. The original owner reportedly died after being run over by it while repairing it underneath. People believe his spirit now haunts the vehicle."
He added:
"It's possible the deceased died in anger, and this unrest is manifesting through the bus. It won't carry passengers again until traditional cleansing is done."
However, Gurwe denies any claims of witchcraft or supernatural activity.
"This is my bus, and it's not cursed. The green front lights are solar-powered, and due to limited sunlight in the mornings and evenings, they turn on automatically. It's true we haven't had a battery for a while, but the engine is still intact," he said, inviting the journalist inside the bus to inspect it.
He even unplugged the lights to demonstrate how they work.
"As for the rumors of people sitting inside, those are just garage workers resting or eating. The bus isn't haunted. Even the driver once told me about the gossip, but I didn't take it seriously. I'm amazed people peek into the bus and point at it like it's a spectacle," Gurwe added.
He explained that the bus used to operate within Chitungwiza but later shifted to the Gokwe route until it got stuck in mud while leaving the garage and has remained parked since due to a dead battery.
"It's been over a month now. We just need a battery to get it moving again. The parking space is safe. We don't use witchcraft - people shouldn't fear boarding it once it's back on the road," he said.
However, Solomon Svikiro Mandela, a senior conductor at the Charge Office bus terminal in Harare, acknowledged that some bus and kombi operators resort to traditional rituals, believing it will bring them business.
"I can't deny that some use juju. Here at Charge Office, there are buses that no one else is allowed to drive except the owner. Sometimes they block the queue, and if you try to move them, they won't start, or you'll see smoke. We have to call the owner to come and move it himself," Mandela explained.
Traditional healer Sekuru Peter Maponda warned that vehicles involved in fatal accidents must be spiritually cleansed.
"If someone kills a person with a vehicle and just walks away or only answers in court without performing rituals, the spirit of the deceased may seek revenge. That's why you'll see the vehicle doing strange things, like killing more people or producing phantom voices. It's a sign the spirit needs to be appeased," he said.
Locals say the bus, which used to operate on the Gandavaroyi route in Gokwe, now appears to "come alive" every morning and evening at 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., lighting up its front headlights without any human intervention.
According to multiple reports, residents have even heard music playing from inside the seemingly abandoned vehicle, seen figures sitting quietly as if dozing off, and witnessed a conductor shouting for passengers to board.
After hearing these unsettling accounts, a journalist spent five consecutive days observing the bus during the claimed times and confirmed that the lights do indeed turn on at those hours.
Speaking to Kwayedza this week, several community members expressed concern and disbelief over the strange happenings - among them Tatenda Gurwe (34), who identifies himself as the owner of the bus.
Adam Gaku of Chitungwiza said many residents believe the bus is haunted.
"That bus near Chikwanha is cursed. Sometimes you hear music from it even when no one is inside. Other times, it changes direction on its own. One morning I saw the green headlights switch on, and again in the evening. But during the day, they're off," he said.
Another local, Innocent Kasadza, offered a different view.
"Some people say the solar-powered lights switch on at night due to lack of battery storage. Others believe business owners use traditional rituals for success. Even us as conductors, we work with them because we need the money."
Kainos Matimbanyoka shared an eerie tale:
"The bus used to be near Velvet Service Station before being moved to Chikwanha. The original owner reportedly died after being run over by it while repairing it underneath. People believe his spirit now haunts the vehicle."
He added:
"It's possible the deceased died in anger, and this unrest is manifesting through the bus. It won't carry passengers again until traditional cleansing is done."
However, Gurwe denies any claims of witchcraft or supernatural activity.
"This is my bus, and it's not cursed. The green front lights are solar-powered, and due to limited sunlight in the mornings and evenings, they turn on automatically. It's true we haven't had a battery for a while, but the engine is still intact," he said, inviting the journalist inside the bus to inspect it.
He even unplugged the lights to demonstrate how they work.
"As for the rumors of people sitting inside, those are just garage workers resting or eating. The bus isn't haunted. Even the driver once told me about the gossip, but I didn't take it seriously. I'm amazed people peek into the bus and point at it like it's a spectacle," Gurwe added.
He explained that the bus used to operate within Chitungwiza but later shifted to the Gokwe route until it got stuck in mud while leaving the garage and has remained parked since due to a dead battery.
"It's been over a month now. We just need a battery to get it moving again. The parking space is safe. We don't use witchcraft - people shouldn't fear boarding it once it's back on the road," he said.
However, Solomon Svikiro Mandela, a senior conductor at the Charge Office bus terminal in Harare, acknowledged that some bus and kombi operators resort to traditional rituals, believing it will bring them business.
"I can't deny that some use juju. Here at Charge Office, there are buses that no one else is allowed to drive except the owner. Sometimes they block the queue, and if you try to move them, they won't start, or you'll see smoke. We have to call the owner to come and move it himself," Mandela explained.
Traditional healer Sekuru Peter Maponda warned that vehicles involved in fatal accidents must be spiritually cleansed.
"If someone kills a person with a vehicle and just walks away or only answers in court without performing rituals, the spirit of the deceased may seek revenge. That's why you'll see the vehicle doing strange things, like killing more people or producing phantom voices. It's a sign the spirit needs to be appeased," he said.
Source - online
