Zimpapers Logo

Langalakhe Mabena, [email protected]

The Stanley Hall in Makokoba is set to be a hive of activity today as people will converge there for the Bulawayo Day commemorations as the city celebrates 129 years.

The Bulawayo Day festivities are commemorations of historical importance and commemorate the declaration of Bulawayo as a town on June 1, 1894. The City of Bulawayo on October 2, 2019 resolved that an annual celebration be held on the day and subsequently hold the Bulawayo Arts Festival (Baf) from June 2-5 which is marked through citywide celebrations in the form of music, theatre, dance, food and craft fairs, cultural tourism and sporting activities to showcase the cultural creative prowess of the City of Bulawayo.

This year’s celebrations are being held under the theme “Our Culture, Our Heritage, Our Creativity” and will be focused on the promotion of arts, culture and heritage by providing incubation, support and promotion of creative industries.

Stanley Hall in Makokoba

Bulawayo City Council’s corporate communications manager Nesisa Mpofu said it is all systems go for the two events.

She said their focus this year is on promoting Township Tourism which involves visiting places, events, and activities that reflect the history and culture of Bulawayo’s historic communities. As such, the celebrations today will start with a Tourism and Heritage Trail tour. The tour will start from the City Hall following the trail to Makokoba township where people will then converge for the festivities at Stanley Hall national monument.

“Stanley Hall has been identified as the main venue as it is a heritage site that is key in the history of Bulawayo and Zimbabwe. The convergence at Stanley Hall will also be to promote community development through heritage tourism and showcase the talent in Bulawayo through performing arts,” Mpofu said in a statement.

Mpofu also revealed that the city seeks to encourage Community Based Tourism (CBT) and educational township historic tours by partnering with the Bulawayo Makokoba Township Tourism Trail, Zimbabwe Tourism Authority and National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe as well as the Makokoba community as a whole.

Tomorrow, the council will partner with Little Lambs nursery school and other stakeholders on a clean-up campaign which will be held under the theme “129 Years of a Clean Bulawayo”. The day also falls on the same day as the June National Clean-up Day and the council will be partnering with other business organisations in Bulawayo and residents to promote and restore the culture of cleanliness in the city.

Bulawayo power station

On Saturday, the recreation section of the city in partnership with stakeholders will host a Youth Sports Gala at White City Stadium. 

“Various sporting activities including soccer, netball, volleyball, tennis, tug of war, and a fun run are lined up for the day,” Mpofu said.

She said The Bulawayo Arts Festival week will be earmarked by several activities including a Culture Craft Fair that will run from Friday to Saturday at the City Hall Car Park. More activities from music, dance, poetry, and theatre will take place up to Monday.

Mpofu said the Bulawayo Day and Arts Festival are key as they promote and strengthen the role of arts, culture and heritage as drivers of inclusive sustainable development, through the mainstreaming of cultural policies and initiatives in Bulawayo’s urban development strategies.