The US$224,7
million proposal is meant to cushion households and businesses from further
financial strain while balancing the city’s urgent service delivery needs.
According to
the breakdown, US$157,5 million is earmarked for recurrent expenditure and
US$67,2 million for capital projects.
A significant
portion of the budget — US$70,3 million, or nearly a third — will go towards
improving water and sanitation services.
Bulawayo has
for years struggled with perennial water shortages due to shrinking dam levels,
ageing infrastructure and rising demand. The city has had to implement strict
water rationing, with residents in some suburbs going for weeks without supply.
Council has consistently placed water at the centre of its budgets as it
battles to secure alternative sources, improve pumping efficiency and reduce
losses from leakages and illegal connections.
The recurrent
expenditure towards water and sanitation will be US$47,5 million, while the
capital expenditure has been set at US$22,8 million.
In terms of
priorities, water has been put as the top priority for next year, followed by
health, sewerage, housing, roads, education, public lighting, social services
and civic protection.
“Major focus
areas for 2026 will be water supply reliability (US$3,5 million), non-revenue
water reduction (US$3,9 million), pumping capacity and efficiency (US$958 000),
water reticulation (US$3,2 million), effluent quality (US$145 000) and
reclaimed water output (US$1,8 million).
“The strategic
goals are to enhance infrastructure resilience and efficiency, improve water
quality and environmental protection and upgrade sanitation facilities and
security,” reads part of the presentation from the local authority.
Still on water
and sanitation, the local authority revealed that refuse collection would be
maintained once weekly and extended to Cowdray Park’s Hlalani Kuhle area and
other newly developed areas. They also stated that they will carry out waste
education activities to promote the culture of cleanliness among the residents
of Bulawayo and further enforcement activities will be enhanced to deter
littering and illegal dumping.
To address
persistent non-revenue water losses, projects include replacing mains along
Masotsha Avenue near Inxwala Grounds at an expected cost of US$600 000, Pumula
East (US$1,4 million), rehabilitating the Tuli–Criterion 15-inch steel pipeline
(US$1,2 million), and citywide meter replacement (US$700 000).
On
infrastructure, council will modernise public lighting, including solar-powered
streetlights along Old Khami Road and upgrade traffic systems with cameras,
loops and solar-powered signals in the CBD.
“A priority
focus is on major corridors like Gwanda Road and Cecil Avenue and also the
installation of solar-powered streetlights on Old Khami Road (between Nketa and
Siyephambili Drive) to improve reliability and reduce long-term operational
costs,” reads the presentation,
“For traffic
lights, there will be the installation of cameras, traffic loops and
right-turning arrows at intersections and at locations that are prone to
traffic congestion, violations and accidents. Further, there will be the
conversion of traffic lights at high-volume central business district
intersections to solar power to ensure uninterrupted operation and enhance road
safety during power outages.”
The BCC further
revealed that on building construction and maintenance, they will focus on
Tower Block rehabilitation, Revenue Hall rehabilitation, Magwegwe Revenue
Office, Bhaktas Market construction, Emkambo reconstruction, Cowdray Park and
Emganwini Clinic Construction and also the construction of the Luveve Cemetery
toilets. Chronicle
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