Bulawayo councillors have called on the city council to introduce procurement policies that prioritise local companies for municipal tenders, arguing that the continued awarding of contracts to firms from outside the region is weakening the local economy and fuelling unemployment.
During a full council meeting, councillors said deliberate measures were needed to ensure that public spending benefits local businesses and residents, warning that the current system was contributing to economic decline in the city.
Ward 17 Councillor Bruce Mmeli Moyo said recent statistics presented by the council’s finance committee showed that many companies benefiting from municipal tenders were not based in Matabeleland.
“When I saw statistics from the finance committee, I was so worried because most of the people who are benefiting from tenders of the city council are not coming from this province,” Moyo said.
He stressed that the issue was not about tribalism but about implementing the principles of decentralisation and devolution by ensuring local communities benefit from economic opportunities generated in their region.
Moyo linked the lack of local economic opportunities to growing social challenges, including youth unemployment, drug and substance abuse, and migration.
“The conversation is not tribal, but we are speaking in the manner of decentralisation,” he said. “What this means is that we are going to continue in the predicament of losing young people to drug and substance abuse.”
He also expressed concern about the growing number of young people leaving the region for South Africa in search of work, saying many faced difficult conditions abroad.
“I was so touched by the treatment that they are receiving from their fellow brothers and sisters from Africa,” Moyo said.
Ward 18 Councillor Felix Takunda Madzana supported the call, arguing that the concentration of economic activity outside Bulawayo was contributing to the city’s economic decline.
“What is being raised by Councillor Moyo is a serious challenge in the city. It’s not tribal, but these are facts. Bulawayo companies and the economy are dying,” Madzana said.
He said some companies awarded contracts in the city were taking resources out of the region while employing workers from elsewhere, leaving local residents without opportunities.
“Economically, there is a problem because we are now having companies that are taking funds from all over the country and diverting them to one central point. There is nothing tribal about it, but it’s a fact,” he said.
Madzana urged the local authority to develop procurement frameworks that would increase local participation in council-funded projects.
“As a local authority, we have to find a way and create policies that are going to favour local people,” he said.
Support CITE’s fearless, independent journalism. Your donation helps us amplify community voices, fight misinformation, and hold power to account. Help keep the truth alive. Donate today
Leave a Reply