READ: Locals Report Haunted Activity from Idle Bus in Zimbabwe
In the heart of Chitungwiza, Zimbabwe, near the Chikwanha Shopping Centre, a mystery is idling in neutral — literally. For months now, a parked bus has drawn attention from spooked residents, amused skeptics, and at least one curious journalist. The vehicle hasn’t moved an inch, yet it seems to have a mind of its own — lighting up, playing music, and even hollering for passengers.
So, is it time to call the Ghostbusters, or just a good electrician?
Every morning at 6 a.m. and again at 6 p.m., the bus’s headlights flicker to life. No driver. No ignition. No, “Good morning, Chitungwiza!” And yet, the eerie green lights click on like clockwork. Some witnesses say they’ve even heard music from inside the bus — despite it appearing empty — and seen figures sitting motionless, like passengers waiting to disembark at the Twilight Zone. Even stranger, a phantom conductor has reportedly been heard shouting for passengers to board. Now, either this bus is running a ghostly public transit service or something very weird is going on with its wiring.
Naturally, this rolling mystery couldn’t go uninvestigated. A journalist camped out for five days straight, and sure enough, the lights did turn on at those exact hours — no driver, no movement, no known source. Either the ghost is very punctual, or there’s a solar panel with a serious flare for drama.
Local lore got a fuel injection when it was revealed that the bus’s previous owner died in a tragic accident — reportedly run over by the very bus he was repairing. Some now believe his unsettled spirit lingers within the vehicle, perhaps waiting to finish his route or claim the fare from the afterlife.
As one resident put it, “It’s possible the deceased died in anger, and this unrest is manifesting through the bus.”
But not everyone is buying a one-way ticket on the Spooky Express. Tatenda Gurwe, the current owner, insists it’s all explainable. “It’s not cursed,” he said, probably for the hundredth time that week. The lights? Solar-powered. The music? Probably someone’s Bluetooth speaker left behind. The figures inside? “Just garage workers eating sadza.” Gurwe even unplugged the lights to show how the solar panel setup works. Spoiler: No swirling green ectoplasm came out.
Still, in Zimbabwean culture, the line between machinery and mystery is thinner than most might think. According to senior conductor Solomon Svikiro Mandela, some transport operators do dabble in the occult, using rituals — or juju — to protect or enhance their vehicles’ success.
Traditional healer Sekuru Peter Maponda agrees: any vehicle involved in a fatality should be cleansed spiritually. If not, he warns, the spirits of the dead may linger, causing mischief — or worse.
Ultimately, Gurwe claims the only thing keeping the bus from moving is a dead battery — not a dead man’s soul. “It just got stuck in mud,” he explained, clearly wondering why anyone would think he was hosting a paranormal pit stop. But still… the automatic lights, the unexplained noises, the watchful figures — it’s hard to ignore the unease this bus inspires.
Is this a classic case of misunderstood technology? A solar-powered system doing exactly what it’s wired to do — just creepily timed with sunrise and sunset? Or is there truly a ghost in the gears — the spirit of a man who died beneath his own bus, still calling out for passengers in the pale light of dawn?
As the town of Chitungwiza debates the truth, one thing is clear: you’ll never look at an abandoned bus the same way again. So next time you're near Chikwanha Shopping Centre and hear a phantom conductor shout “All aboard!” — you might want to think twice before stepping on. It might be your last ride.
Original source: Bulawayo 24 News.
