Lack of development irks Bulawayo councillors

Councillors in Bulawayo have voiced their frustrations regarding the sluggish pace of urban development in the city, attributing the stagnation to a lack of funding and bureaucratic hurdles. The concerns were raised during a recent full council meeting, where deputy mayor Edwin Ndlovu and ward 17 councillor Ashton Mhlanga highlighted the stark contrast between Bulawayo's development and that of smaller towns across the country.

The minutes from the council meeting reflected Ndlovu's assertion that the city is lagging in development compared to other municipalities. "Councillor Edwin Ndlovu said the city development pace was very slow compared to smaller towns and municipalities," the minutes noted.

Mhlanga further emphasized the issue, stating that since independence, Bulawayo has seen few new buildings constructed, which he described as "not encouraging." He pointed out that rapidly expanding areas like Cowdray Park lack commercial centres, leading to the proliferation of informal tuckshops.

In an interview, Mhlanga discussed systemic changes that have contributed to the delay in development. "In 2016, they changed the process of land development by introducing a process of allocating via applications and adopting a tender process, which contains some frustrating elements," he explained. He called for the repeal of the tender system to facilitate more rapid development.

Mhlanga urged for a review of regulatory frameworks, stating, "We need to relax frustrating processes like those from the Zimbabwe Investment Development Agency and the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe, as they play a big role in the slow pace of development." He stressed the importance of engaging with residents and stakeholders to create a transparent decision-making environment.

Community leaders echoed these sentiments. Bulawayo United Residents Association chairperson Winos Dube acknowledged the city council's recent efforts to rehabilitate roads in the Central Business District (CBD) but remarked on the overall slow pace of development. "Even though we have witnessed them renovating some buildings, the development is very slow as there are still many buildings that are in a dilapidated state," Dube stated.

Similarly, Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association chairperson Stephen Nkomo criticized the lack of development, pointing out the many idle and dilapidated structures contributing to the city's decline. "As residents, we have noticed many buildings that are dilapidated and being idle, which has made our city to be in a sorry state," Nkomo remarked.

The concerns raised by councillors and community leaders reflect a growing frustration with the slow pace of urban development in Bulawayo, highlighting the urgent need for improved funding and more efficient regulatory processes to revitalize the city.