THE rehabilitation of Old Bulawayo has been significantly hampered by financial challenges, National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe (NMMZ) regional director Paul Mupfira has revealed.
Mupfira said NMMZ had only secured funds for a palisade fence and a few materials to refurbish the museum.
“The situation hasn’t progressed much as of now,” he said.
“We have only managed to secure funds for the palisade fence and materials for the refurbishment of the museum.
“All I can say is that there is slow development of the project.”
Last year, NMMZ deputy director Darlington Munyikwa said while some work had been done, limited funding was delaying the project’s completion.
He confirmed that the aim was to finish the rehabilitation by the second quarter of 2024, but financial constraints remain a hurdle.
Munyikwa said they had done some work, including at the King’s palace, where they partially built the kraal and they secured grass to re-thatch some of the beehive huts, among other things.
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He said plans were that outstanding work would be done this year.
Munyikwa said commissioning would likely be done depending on the progress made, but they were hoping for the last quarter of the year.
In 2024, Munyikwa noted that a serious shortage of materials had stalled progress after some stakeholders who had pledged support failed to deliver.
Old Bulawayo, established by King Lobengula as his capital in 1870 following the death of his father, King Mzilikazi, in 1868, was destroyed by fire in 2010.
Munyikwa said delays in sourcing materials remained a key challenge.
He added that plans include completing the first beehive structure and maintaining an access road, in partnership with the Tourism and Hospitality Industry ministry and the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority.
