Bulawayo City Council

The Mayor and the Council

The City of Bulawayo in terms of the Law is run by an Executive Mayor elected on the basis of universal suffrage and a Council made up of representatives elected on a Ward (Constituency) based system.

The Ministry of Local Government has regulatory functions in relation to certain aspects of policy and management of the City. In this regard Central Government can suspend and dismiss elected Councilors for maladministration or for conduct inconsistent with the law and appoint a Commission instead.

Taxes and charges

The City Council is at liberty to impose such taxes and charges as it deems fit and in this connection derives most of its revenue from land and property based taxation .The only exception is in relation to taxes and charges levied upon the low income-high density residential areas. With respect to these areas, the Mayor has to certify that the local communities have been consulted through their councilors on the proposed taxes and charges. Secondly, the Minister responsible for local government has to approve the taxes and charges in the form of By-laws.

Consulting the communities

In the process of preparing local plans, the affected communities are consulted at the research stage is surveys and through their elected representatives. Secondly, Council’s intentions are advertised, as a legal requirement in the Paper widely circulating in the communities. Similarly, consultations are held with persons most likely to be affected by a particular development prior to the granting of specified town planning permits.

The right for citizens to be consulted is enshrined in existing legislation such as the Regional Town and Country Planning Act where it is compulsory for a local authority to put it local and master plans on public deposit before they can be adopted. All municipal contracts are as a matter of policy placed on public tender. Any services which have to be negotiated over are done so with the approval of full council meeting. The Bulawayo City Council headquarters are housed at the same venue as the Bulawayo City Hall.