By Sharon Tawuya
Bulawayo, (New Ziana) –The 2027 national budget must restore the vibrancy of Bulawayo industries and address local realities, Bulawayo Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Judith Ncube, told a parliamentary pre-budget seminar on Wednesday.
The seminar is being held under the theme “Accelerating Economic Transformation and Building Resilience to Climate Shocks and Global Shocks.”
The theme builds on the resilience thrust Finance Minister Prof Mthuli Ncube outlined in the 2027 Budget Strategy Paper.
The economy has shown resilience with macroeconomic stability holding, inflation averaging 4.2 percent – the first sustained single-digit rate in over 30 years – and growth of 6.8 percent in the first quarter of 2026.
Economic growth is on track for five percent in 2026, after registering 8.3 percent in 2025, driven by agriculture and mining, the latter underpinned by gold output projection of 55.6 tonnes, and surging lithium exports. Strong investment inflows is another factor.
Ncube said that resilience must be localized.
“We seek a budget that restores the city’s standing as a vibrant industrial hub and equips its enterprises to compete in a modern technology-driven economy,” she said.
She said Bulawayo must be positioned to absorb external shocks while creating jobs through industrial recovery, value addition and beneficiation, in line with the national thrust on economic transformation.
On climate and global shocks, she said the budget should strengthen drought mitigation and food security, given the threat of El Nino, while sustaining interventions that protect industry and livelihoods.
Minister Ncube also called for dedicated funding to support Zimbabweans returning from South Africa.
“This support should provide for immediate assistance where required, including temporal accommodation, access to essential services, psycho-social support and help with documentation,” she said.
She said beyond immediate relief, the budget should fund skills assessment, vocational training, employment placement and enterprise start-up assistance over the next three to five years to ensure dignified reintegration.
Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube is expected to present the 2027 National Budget to Parliament on November 19, 2026.
New Ziana
