PLUMTREE – There is a Botswana-owned luxury bus that has been parked by the roadside for over six months along the Bulawayo-Plumtree Road in Zimbabwe, about 25 kilometers before Plumtree Town.
The bus belongs to Crembo Travel, and it appears that the company has given up on getting it back on the road to complete its journey.
The bus has attracted the attention of locals, and some people have started dismantling parts of it, such as the dashboard and radio system. It is unclear what kind of visitors the bus attracts from surrounding villages, but its comfortable seats seem to be a point of interest.
A plaque with the words “Harare via Bulawayo, Market Square, Charge Office, 4th Street” lies on the ground in front of the bus. Only the bus owner and the passengers who were onboard could provide details about why the journey was abandoned and the bus left there.
Despite concerns about potential snakes sheltering inside, a news crew from the Chronicle ventured into the bus and discovered that it is largely intact. The emergency exit panels remain untouched, and a covered toilet seat indicates that passengers would use the onboard facilities rather than resorting to nature’s call in the bush.
All the bus doors have been left open, leaving one to wonder who enters it now and for what purpose. The wheels have endured the harsh weather without deflating, but it remains uncertain how long it will be before “bus breakers” target them and other parts.
Witnesses recall seeing the same bus parked at shops in Insiza along the Bulawayo-Harare Road, suggesting that it may have experienced its first breakdown on its way from Botswana to Harare. Some speculate that a major mechanical fault led the owner to abandon the bus, although it seems unusual that the company did not take it to a garage or auction off its parts.
Efforts to contact the bus company were unsuccessful, and after two weeks of investigation, the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) was identified as the agency with more information. Zimra stated that the owner, who resides in Botswana, attempted to repair the bus but left to collect spare parts. Due to the time lapse, Zimra is arranging to tow the bus at the owner’s expense to the Plumtree State Warehouse, which is the nearest customs station.
According to Zimra, when foreign registered buses break down in the country, the importer is expected to report to the nearest Zimra office to arrange for repairs or towing out of the country. The bus will be taken into Zimra’s custody until the necessary arrangements are made.
It appears that the luxury bus’s time on the road has come to an end, while the more modest “chicken buses” continue to reach their destinations effortlessly.
