Harare’s Central Business District (CBD) bus terminals are increasingly descending into chaos, with vendors, street children, and homeless adults turning them into makeshift settlements, raising serious safety and sanitation concerns for commuters.
Speaking to ZiFM Stereo News, Passenger Association of Zimbabwe (PAZ) president Tafadzwa Goliati said the situation has reached alarming levels, describing it as an “invasion” of major termini, which are now overcrowded, poorly managed, and increasingly hazardous.
Goliati added that conditions have worsened sharply, with open defecation becoming common and some people now living and sleeping in and around the terminals. He said:
“Street adults and children are now using bus termini as living spaces. They sleep anywhere, and sanitation conditions are worsening.
“There is a strong smell of urine, and people no longer feel safe, especially at night.”
Many passengers now avoid bus terminals after dark because of crime, poor lighting, and suspected criminals targeting travellers in the crowded areas.
