Online Reporter
BULAWAYO City Council has proposed a US$457.88 million budget for 2027, more than double its current budget, with a major focus on rehabilitating ageing infrastructure, improving service delivery and upgrading roads, water systems and sporting facilities across the city’s 29 wards.
The proposed budget represents a significant increase from the US$220 million budget for 2026, which comprised US$153 million for recurrent expenditure and US$67 million for capital expenditure.
In a commentary on the proposed budget, Ward 26 councillor and Finance and Development Committee chairperson Mpumelelo Moyo said the city had renewed its ambition after years of what he described as stagnant budgeting.
“An ambitious cost recovery budget of US$457.88 million has been proposed for 2027. Moving away from a standstill budget that has characterised the City of Bulawayo for the past four years in a row, the City has dared to dream again in 2027,” he said.
Under the proposed budget, US$327.8 million will go towards recurrent expenditure, while US$130.08 million has been earmarked for capital expenditure.
Moyo said the budget was aligned with the country’s vision of attaining upper-middle-income economy status by 2030 and was guided by the National Development Strategy 2, the Minimum Service Delivery Standards and the Sustainable Development Goals.
The proposed capital projects cover education facilities, electricity infrastructure, health facilities, roads, storm water drainage, social amenities, sporting facilities, and water and sewer infrastructure.
Water supply projects include water mains renewal, Woodville reticulation, rehabilitation of Bateman units, Emganwini water mains, installation of clear-water pump sets and procurement of domestic water meters.
The city also plans to undertake sewer infrastructure projects, including sewer reticulation in Cowdray Park and Emhlangeni, improvements at Thorngrove Wastewater Treatment Plant, rehabilitation of the Trade Fair outfall and works at Aisleby treatment plants.
Road rehabilitation will be another major priority, with planned interventions including citywide pothole patching, servicing of new areas and rehabilitation of roads in the central business district and residential neighbourhoods.
Roads earmarked for attention include Batch Street, Wellington Road, Adair Drive, Dunde Drive, Netherby Drive, Samuel Parirenyatwa Road, 15th Avenue, Murchison Road, Jason Moyo Street, George Silundika Avenue and Fort Street.
The programme also includes regravelling and regrading roads across all 29 wards.
On community infrastructure, Moyo said the proposed budget would support the rehabilitation of facilities such as Mpopoma Hall, Macdonald Hall, Iminyela Hall, Lobengula Hall and Indlovu Hall, alongside improvements to public spaces, including Centenary Park and the perimeter of White City Arena.
Sporting facilities are also expected to benefit, with plans to install bucket seats at Barbourfields, Luveve and White City stadiums, refurbish lockers at Barbourfields and Luveve, and install solar power systems at the three stadiums.
The budget further proposes refurbishments at the Emakhandeni, Barbourfields and Tshabalala tennis courts, as well as improvements to arenas in Pumula, Stanley Square and Tshabalala.
To finance service delivery and infrastructure projects, the council is proposing changes to selected tariffs, including a US$20 increase in shop licence fees and the introduction of a US$2 public lighting tariff.
The special road levy is also proposed to increase, with the council expecting to raise US$45 million to support road rehabilitation in residential areas.
Moyo urged residents to support the proposed budget and meet their obligations to the local authority, saying revenue collection would be critical to implementation.
“The residents of Bulawayo are encouraged to support the proposed 2027 budget, which focuses on mobilising resources for the revamping of ageing infrastructure, as well as resuscitation of street lights and maintenance of such infrastructure,” he said.
He added that residents should pay their bills consistently to ensure that the proposed projects were implemented.
“As the chairperson of the Finance and Development Committee, I also urge the residents of Bulawayo to pay their bills religiously going into 2027. This will assist in making sure that this proposed budget is fully implemented,” Moyo said.
He said the planned interventions were intended to help the city achieve its vision of becoming a smart and sustainable city by 2030.
