Bulawayo came alive yesterday as residents filled the city centre for the Bulawayo Day Carnival Parade.
Drummers, majorettes, poets, musicians, dancers and cultural groups turned the streets into a stage.

The energy was loud, proud and unmistakably Bulawayo as people paused daily life to celebrate heritage, diversity and creative spirit together.

The timing matters. This year marks 132 years since Bulawayo was declared a town on 1 June 1894 by Dr Leander Starr Jameson outside the Maxim Hotel on Fife Street. However the city stretched the celebrations further.

Bulawayo Day opened alongside the Bulawayo Arts Festival. The festival began Sunday at Small City Hall with the Praises Go Up Gospel Concert. Baba Walle, Minister Nkosi Herman, Ela Music and Pastor Barak’s family closed the night with Wavuma song.

Performances, exhibitions and cultural experiences continue until 6 June.

Amid the music and pride, Mayor David Coltart shifted focus from celebration to responsibility. He said Bulawayo’s historic sites cannot keep falling into ruin.

Old Bulawayo, once King Lobengula’s capital, has poor roads, litter and fire damage that remain untouched. King Mzilikazi’s grave off the old Gwanda Road has only a small sign, far short of what the founder of the Ndebele nation deserves.

After a recent trip to London, Coltart pointed out that cities with less heritage still attract millions of tourists. Bulawayo can do the same by investing in what makes it unique.

The Inxwala site, the Hanging Tree, Lobengula’s parade ground and the Joshua Nkomo statue all carry stories that could draw visitors.
With proper care, tourism could become a real driver of growth.

He also reminded the crowd at a gathering which was held at the large city hall that 1894 only marks municipal Bulawayo.

The city’s roots go back nearly 200 years to Mzilikazi’s arrival and Lobengula’s KoBulawayo. The carnival route honored that timeline and stopped at Makokoba, where Highlanders Football Club first set up its office, connecting sport, culture and memory in one walk.

The parade gave Bulawayo pride on the streets.

_{Pic credit-Bulawayo City Council}