Online Reporter
Nqobile Bhebhe, [email protected]
THE Bulawayo City Council is using the ongoing 116th Zimbabwe Agricultural Show (ZAS) in Harare to showcase investment-ready projects and position the city as a preferred destination for domestic and international capital.
The local authority is leveraging the six-day multi-sector exhibition to market opportunities in manufacturing, agro-processing, tourism, renewable energy, housing, logistics and Special Economic Zones, while seeking partnerships to accelerate implementation of strategic development projects.
Town Clerk, Mr Christopher Dube, reported to council in July that ZAS had officially invited the city to participate as an exhibitor at the premier annual exhibition, which brings together Government ministries, local authorities, financial institutions, investors, development partners, private sector players, research institutions and international exhibitors.
This year’s exhibition is running under the theme: “Powering Growth: Where Agriculture,
Technology and Commerce Converge.”
According to the council report, the theme speaks to the need to integrate agriculture, technology and commerce to drive sustainable economic growth, improve productivity, strengthen value chains, promote innovation and stimulate investment.
The city’s participation in the exhibition is part of a broader investment-promotion strategy anchored on the city’s development plans and initiatives, including the Khumbulekhaya Investment Conference, the Bulawayo Investment Prospectus and implementation of the Bulawayo Master Plan.
“It also complemented Council’s ongoing investment promotion initiatives, including the Khumbulekhaya Investment Conference, the City’s Investment Prospectus and the implementation of the Bulawayo Master Plan,” reads part of the report.
“Participation at ZAS 2026 would provide the city with an opportunity to market Bulawayo as Zimbabwe’s premier investment destination while showcasing strategic investment opportunities in manufacturing, agro-processing, tourism, renewable energy, housing, logistics, Special Economic Zones and other priority sectors. It would also enable the city to strengthen relationships with investors, international organisations and potential development partners.”
The council’s Economic Development Unit proposed showcasing a portfolio of investment projects and programmes to give potential investors a clear picture of opportunities in Bulawayo.
These include the Bulawayo Investment Prospectus, Khumbulekhaya Investment Conference, Smart City Programme, Special Economic Zones, industrial parks development, George Avenue Corridor investment opportunities, housing and property development projects and renewable energy initiatives.
Municipal public-private partnership projects, investment facilitation services and ease-of-doing-business initiatives will also be presented to prospective investors.
The approach is expected to enable the local authority to move beyond conventional exhibition participation by using ZAS as a platform for direct engagements with investors, financiers, development agencies and Government institutions.
Council said such engagements could unlock partnerships and financing for infrastructure and economic development projects while exposing local businesses to new markets, technologies and investment models.
The exhibition also provides Bulawayo with an opportunity to promote its tourism, heritage and cultural assets, alongside its manufacturing base and emerging investment opportunities in industrial development, agro-processing, value addition and urban agriculture.
The local authority said increased visibility at national and international platforms was important as it seeks to strengthen Bulawayo’s profile as an investment destination and consolidate its traditional position as Zimbabwe’s industrial hub.
ZAS is also expected to provide opportunities for business-to-business engagements, with Bulawayo-based enterprises able to interact with potential investors and business partners attending the exhibition.
Council said knowledge exchange generated through participation would allow the city to benchmark developments and innovations from other exhibitors while identifying new approaches to urban development and economic growth.
The investment drive comes as Bulawayo seeks to leverage its established industrial base, strategic location, infrastructure and skilled human capital to attract fresh investment and support local economic development.
By putting its investment-ready projects and development programmes before a broad audience at ZAS, the city is seeking to convert national visibility into concrete partnerships, capital mobilisation and economic opportunities.
The strategy is also aligned with the local authority’s wider efforts to reposition Bulawayo as an investment-ready city capable of attracting private-sector participation in infrastructure, industry, housing, energy, tourism and other priority sectors.
