Online Reporter
Judith Phiri, Business Reporter
INFRASTRUCTURE development in Bulawayo has moved a gear up with key new projects dotted around the city expected to transform it into a modern, productive and inclusive city that attracts investment and create employment.
The most recent ones are the state-of-the-art US$12 million investment for the Fairgrounds Retail Centre within the Zimbabwe International Conference and Exhibition Smart City and the US$3 million Franciscan Centre that speak to Bulawayo’s goal of attaining smart and sustainable city status by 2030.
The developments are expected to drive the city’s re-industrialisation efforts signalling a promising future for the city.
Speaking at the US$3 million campaign drive for the Franciscan Centre Bulawayo ground-breaking ceremony, Bulawayo Mayor Councillor David Coltart said such developments were critical for the city.
The Franciscan Centre is going to feature conference facilities, a chapel dedicated to prayer, counselling and spiritual renewal as well as administrative office and a commercial kitchen.
“This is yet another construction project in a long history of important work done in our community. All that you are doing today is reaffirming your established commitment to our city, but this is of particular importance for the development of stable minds, which undoubtedly will contribute to the stability and development, not just of the city, but of our nation in future,” he said.
He said the development was timely and that the construction of the centre would create a new window of hope for those in need as well as feed into the city’s re-industrialisation efforts.
The Mayor said that as they seek to grow the city and attract new investment, there is a need for strong educational institutions, but also strong medical institutions such as Mater Dei Hospital.
“I want to end by assuring you that, as a city, we will provide you with whatever support we can as you take steps towards setting up this very important facility. I hope that together we can create an institution that does not just provide professional counselling services, but actually goes to the extent of saving lives, as well as stabilising families and our entire community,” he said.
Responding to enquiries from this publication on another major development taking shape in Bulawayo — the US$12 million investment for the Fairgrounds Retail Centre — the city’s Town Clerk, Mr Christopher Dube, said Bulawayo’s investment landscape has been attracting interest.
The development is to rise within the Zimbabwe International Conference and Exhibition Smart City (ZICES), being delivered by the Terrace Africa Project, which will create a modern shopping complex comparable in scale and design to Harare’s Greenfields Retail Centre, commissioned by President Mnangagwa.
Mr Dube said: “The Fairgrounds Retail Centre milestone is highly important for Bulawayo’s investment landscape because it signals tangible progress in unlocking strategic land for productive economic use.
“It will be a modern retail development that will enhance the commercial profile of the city, create employment opportunities during construction and operation, stimulate supply chain activity, and improve service convenience for residents and visitors to the ZICES.”
He said importantly, it also sends a strong message to both local and international investors that Bulawayo is open for business and ready to host transformative investments aligned with our vision of becoming a Smart and Sustainable City by 2030.
Mr Dube said that to attract more projects of this magnitude, continued focus must be placed on maintaining an investor-friendly environment with efficient municipal processes.
“Continued focus must also be placed on servicing land with critical infrastructure such as roads, water, sewerage and power connectivity, strengthening public-private partnerships, and promoting policy certainty and ease of doing business reforms,” he added.
“There is also a need for packaging bankable investment opportunities in retail, housing, manufacturing, tourism, logistics and ICT sectors, while we showcase Bulawayo’s strategic geographic position as a regional trade gateway linking Zimbabwe to SADC markets and beyond.”
Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC) Matabeleland Regional Manager, Mr Mduduzi Ncube, said there was a need to attract more high-value investments into Bulawayo.
“The entry of Terrace Africa into Bulawayo is both encouraging and instructive. To attract more projects of this magnitude, there is a need for continued strengthening of the ease of doing business environment through efficient regulatory processes, competitive cost structures and investor-friendly policies at both local and national levels,” he said.
“Strategic public-private partnerships, infrastructure development, and proactive investment promotion will also be key. Importantly, sustained engagement between the business community and local authorities will ensure that Bulawayo remains responsive, competitive, and aligned with investor expectations.”
He said, as Zida reported an increase in investment inflows into Bulawayo in Q4 2025, this was a critical indicator of the city’s re-emergence as a viable industrial and commercial centre.
Mr Ncube said it reflects growing confidence in the policy environment and the city’s economic potential.
Dr Shynet Chivasa, an institutional business analyst at Lupane State University, said such projects support the city’s policy‑driven re‑industrialisation and service‑sector modernisation.
“These reinforce Bulawayo as a viable destination for retail, logistics and tourism‑linked investments. They create employment and improve Bulawayo’s gross domestic product (GDP). Employment creation during construction is also another benefit of the projects,” she said.
She said that to attract more projects of this calibre, Bulawayo needs to move beyond isolated deals and build a repeat‑investor proposition.
Dr Chivasa said there was a need for consistent regulatory and fiscal incentives, by streamlining approvals, providing clear zoning and tax‑incentive frameworks for mixed‑use developments (retail, hotels, offices), and ensuring predictable returns on capital.
Economic commentator Mr Morris Mpala said these developments were welcome and key to the city as it tries to emerge from yesteryear’s downturn in fortunes.
“It ignites and excites other investments into the city. Bulawayo needs to showcase what investment opportunities it has to potential suitors and show that it can carry investments of this quantum in terms of return on investment (ROI). Generally, the City of Bulawayo needs to look at the ease and cost of doing business within its influence and above all bring water to the city,” he said.
He said these go a long way to cementing the status that Bulawayo is a safe destination for capital and that needs to be attained by all means necessary, while the city needs to reimagine its new industries and forgo some yesteryear business models that no longer serve it.
Other major capital infrastructure development projects currently under way in the city encompass diverse sectors, from roads to transport, education, industry and commerce, among others.
derick.khumalo