The Sunday News
THE country’s second largest city, Bulawayo, today celebrates 120 years of existence and in line with such gatherings, it is expected to reverberate into song and dance as people from all walks of life celebrate this milestone.The City of Kings and Queens as it is affectionately known has evolved from the ashes of what used to be a seat of power of one of the military states in Southern Africa to a modern city adorned with good infrastructure. Bulawayo was the capital of the last King of the Ndebele, Lobhengula, before he was vanquished by the colonialists led by one warmonger called Dr Leander Starr Jameson in November 1893.
Today is therefore a day for the people of Bulawayo as the Mayor, Councillor Martin Moyo, aptly put it, to reflect on the past, present and the future. A number of activities have been lined up as part of the day with thousands of people today expected to converge on the City Hall Car Park where the main celebrations will take place.
Also according to a schedule of events released by the city last week, as part of the main celebrations, the council and the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) will this morning offer a train ride to and from Figtree. After the main celebrations today, the city will also hold a teacher and student concert on 4 June, a golf challenge at Harry Allen Golf Club on 7 June and a City of Bulawayo walk and braai on the same day.
The walk will start from the City Hall to Hillside Dams, the venue of the braai.
While we are still in the celebratory mood it is important for all those associated with this great city, a home of heroes and heroines, outstanding figures in politics, sport, commerce and industry not to lose sight of what has become of Bulawayo. Bulawayo has fallen from the economic giant that it used to be to a desolate urban centre despite its strategic location in the region. It is now the sick man of Zimbabwe and urgent measures should be taken to save it.
From a city that used to be regarded as the industrial and business capital of the country because of its booming industries in the process earning the nickname KoNtuthuziyathunqa and its strategic position as it is nearer to Botswana and South Africa, Zimbabwe’s largest trading partner, Bulawayo is now a pale shadow of its former self.
The city has seen a sharp decline in its economic fortunes as a result of the economic challenges facing the country with poor investment and widespread unemployment as well as water shortages hitting it.
Some strategic industries such as Zeco, Radar Metal Industries, Hubert Davies, National Blankets, G and D Shoes, Hunyani Holdings, Dunlop, CSC, NRZ, Merlin have either moved operations to Harare or are in comatose.
It is against such a scenario that as we celebrate the 120 years of existence of this city, a home to many people from different ethnic groups scattered across Zimbabwe and nationals from many parts of the region such as Malawi, Zambia and Mozambique that we should put our heads under the same thinking cap and map the way forward.
We should ask ourselves what would be Bulawayo like in the next 120 years. We should get answers now and start moving forward.
However, we also want to take this opportunity to remind the people of Bulawayo that they are the masters of their destiny. For them to revive the fortunes of this great city they call home, it is important for them to discard the notion that some people will assist them get their Bulawayo on its feet.
The people of Bulawayo should in the middle of celebrations discard the victim mentality and stop following foolish political opportunists who have the tendency of apportioning the blame on others for their own problems.
The people of Bulawayo are not the only ones facing economic problems as the rest of the country is reeling from the effects of the evil sanctions, but they should disabuse themselves of being victims of the past.
They should take advantage of the many natural resources surrounding this city, which is the economic nerve centre of Matabeleland. No one has stopped them from exploiting the vast timber resources in Matabeleland North, the game and methane gas as well as rich gold deposits in Matabeleland South.
The political leadership should also be at the forefront by initiating and directing developmental projects instead of making political capital from issues that have no bearing on development.
