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Brighton Gumbo Business Reporter
BULAWAYO Mayor councillor Martin Moyo will leave the country for France next month on a mission to scout for investors to revive the city’s industries. According to the latest council minutes, Clr Moyo was invited to attend the Prime Business Destination Forum in Cannes, France on October 12 where he will present the city’s investment and social projects.

“Well we’re humbled as a council to receive such an invite from Europe and our concern is what is it that they see in us that we don’t see ourselves,” said Moyo. He said such an invite was not a matter of pride but an opportunity for the city to put itself in the spotlight for investors.

“We’re not going to take pride in the invite but we’re going to utilise such an opportunity to create contacts with the world so that we can lure investors to the city for the revival of our industries,” Clr Moyo said.

BCC said the city was expected to receive honour from the European Business Assembly for being potentially a tourist attraction and investment area. “Bulawayo had been selected as the city with high investment and tourism potential, and is expected to receive a flag and certificate from the EBA Prime Business Destinations Programme,” reads part of the council minutes.

As part of the council efforts to lure investors into the city, Bulawayo has opened up tracts of vacant land in various parts of the city for development and investment.

Clr Moyo said the recognition is indebted to the friendly policies which council introduced as a way of luring investors.

“We offer land on lease to investors, whereby they can acquire land and pay the money once they’re able to pay for it,” he said.

The mandate of the city fathers was to provide an enabling environment for businesses and facilitate investment.

Bulawayo is the country’s industrial hub, but firms have been struggling due to multiple factors hampering their performance and growth.