BCC to provide open, fair tender process

Robin Muchetu, Senior Reporter
THE Bulawayo City Council has availed over 80 opportunities for locals through a number of tenders availed to the public last week.

The city advertised a total of 82 tenders in an on-going programme on economic empowerment of the residents, according to council senior public relations officer Mrs Nesisa Mpofu. She said the tender process would be held in a transparent and credible manner.

The council is leasing out four women’s clubs, four beer halls, five flea markets, one car park, two social clubs, kiosks, caravan sites, a number of shops and offices around the city. A total of 20 school tuck shops are up for grabs in the municipality’s primary schools that are dotted in the city. Also available are vegetable stalls, a hospital, a crèche, an aviary, commercial stands and service industry stands.

The city is offering interested residents to propose the amount of money they would like to pay for rentals for the properties whose leases range from three to 10 years.

“The tenders will be available to residents of Bulawayo only, a move that has been welcomed by the residents as they have been left out in previous years.

“We were delighted when we saw the advert stating that it is open to residents of the city only because we have the chance to apply and get a favourable response unlike seeing all tenders being awarded to people from outside the city,” said Mr Maxwell Muunganirwa who runs a hardware business in the city.

The council also said those who intend to take part in the tendering process must have been resident in Bulawayo for a period of 15 years.

There have been concerns and complaints that the city awards tenders among its employees and councillors.

However, Mrs Mpofu said the workers were allowed to tender as long as there is no conflict of interest.

“There is no specific policy on municipal employees as long as it is not within the conflict of interest. Municipal employees tender like everybody else and also go through the same process without an added advantage,” said Mrs Mpofu.