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Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau Chief
THE City of Gweru is looking for private public partnerships (PPPs) for the construction of a new long distance terminus ahead of the planned decommissioning of Kudzanayi Bus Terminus, which is situated in the Central Business District.

Public relations officer, Mr Manford Gambiza, said in an interview yesterday that council sold Gweru’s iconic Kudzanayi long distance bus terminus for $120 million to Polipena Investments Pvt Ltd in 2004.

He said it was therefore paramount that council starts working on a new bus terminus.

“We are currently looking for private public partnerships for the construction of a new state of the art bus terminus outside the CBD following the sale of Kudzanayi long distance bus terminus for $120 million to Polipena Investments Pvt Ltd in 2004. While we haven’t been pressured to close the bus terminus in the CBD, we are planning ahead by looking for PPPs for a new terminus in Mtapa before the new land owner moves on site,” said Mr Gambiza.

He said they hoped that the investors will transform the 1,8 hectare piece of land into a state of the art shopping mall.

“So we will then have the new shopping mall in the CBD as well as a new bus terminus in Mtapa.”

“These are going to be two major infrastructures, which we hope will also bring more investments to the City of Progress as Gweru is affectionately known,” said Mr Gambiza.

A new terminus for Gweru long distance buses was initially planned for Mtapa and preliminary works were done only to be abandoned mid-way due to financial constraints.

@pchitumba1