Buses shunning Jenda Depot
M’mbelwa District Council has directed that all buses and minibuses passing through Jenda in Mzimba district should branch off to a bus depot at Jenda to pay depot fee.
Following establishment of Jenda Rural Growth Centre, government constructed a depot and other structures at the place, but bus and minibus operators using the M1 Road avoid the depot where they are supposed to pay depot fee.
Mzimba district commissioner (DC) Thomas Chirwa on Tuesday said all buses and minibuses have to be directed to the depot so that they pay a deport fee.
He said police manning the two road blocks at Jenda should help in directing the buses, arguing the council loses a lot of money when buses and minibuses avoid the depot.
Said Chirwa: “As a council, we have observed that the buses do not branch off to the depot. We don’t know if it is due to time factor or other reasons, but they just use the main route.
“We want police manning roadblocks to help us direct the buses and minibuses to the depot where we will be able to collect a fee.
“This will help up in generating funds that we will use to serve the public.”
Northern Region commissioner of Police Martha Suwedi said police are ready to direct the buses to the depot so that the council collects money.
She said police are also ready to enforce any by-laws that the council may come up with.
