Magufuli Bus Terminal: RC clarifies boarding confusion

DAR ES SALAAM Regional Commissioner, Amos Makalla has revoked and clarified Ubungo Municipal Council recent order that barred regional and upcountry buses from boarding and disembarking passengers at their private terminal stations.

In their directive, the Council had directed that all the buses were to pick and drop off their passengers only at main Magufuli Bus Terminal in  Mbezi Louis, Dar es Salaam.

The nullification came after the Minister of State, President’s Office – Regional Administration and Local Government (PO-RALG), Innocent Bashungwa directed the RC, Mr Makalla, to convene a meeting with the Council, Land Transport Regulatory Authority (LATRA) and other stakeholders on how to clarify the confusion in the public.

In a follow-up, Mr Makalla yesterday organised in a joint session with the LATRA, Private Bus Terminals Owners and the Council, where they resolved that bus operators were free to use their private terminals as points to board and disembark their passengers.

To reinforce his stance, the RC Mr Makalla further directed that all the buses must also pass at the Magufuli Bus Terminal on departure and arrival from the upcountry.

In his address, he noted that the decision was reached after assurance from the LATRA that the private bus owners had followed the laid down procedures and met their prerequisites in setting up the entities.

In the criteria, they were supposed to build a toilet(s), rest area for passengers and supplements including a restaurant and a parking lot in their individual terminal bus stations.

In relation to issuing the directive, Mr Makalla approved five private bus terminals that had been verified and permitted to operate in the city, adding that others should consult LATRA for their cases to be addressed.

Meanwhile, Mr Makalla directed the Ubungo   Municipal Council to meet with the private bus terminal owners and other stakeholders in  the city and discuss better ways of collecting   revenue   from  the  Magufuli  Bus  Terminal.

Equally, he reminded LATRA to charge their responsibilities professionally, adding that the law of the land must be observed for smooth operations of the business.

Airing their views on the stance, some passengers said the resolution was welcomed instead of the one that all the buses must pick and disembark their passengers at the Magufuli Main Bus Terminal without taking into consideration that not all reside close to the station.

In the course, some buses proprietors said it was inconveniencing and causing unnecessary crowds at the Magufuli Main Bus Terminal, where all passengers were to board and disembark, regardless of the fact that some of their private points were established in Shekilango, Kigamboni,  Chamazi and   Gongolamboto  to  name  a  few in the city, where the passengers were living and finding it easy to operate from.

In his response, Magufuli  Bus  Terminal Manager,  Isahaka  Waziri  denied any congestion  at  the  terminal, saying  it is  capable  of  accommodating  300 -350  buses  at  a go as well as other facilities like toilets, resting rooms and parking yards for the public.