THE rehabilitation of Old Bulawayo, King Lobengula’s capital, is progressing slowly due to financial constraints, officials said.
The need to rehabilitate the site came after it was gutted by fire in 2010.
Although some work has been done, including the construction of the King’s palace and partial erection of the kraal, the project remains incomplete.
This was confirmed by National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe (NMMZ) regional director Paul Mupfira.
“We have only managed to secure funds for the palisade fence and materials to refurbish the museum,” he said.
“All I can say is that progress on the project has been slow.”
According to reports from 2025, some stakeholders who had pledged to assist with the project failed to honour their commitments, leading to a severe shortage of materials.
Meanwhile, despite these setbacks, some progress has been made.
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The first beehive structure has been completed and road maintenance has been carried out in partnership with the Tourism and Hospitality Industry ministry and the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority.
Old Bulawayo was established by King Lobengula as his capital in 1870 after the death of his father King Mzilikazi in 1868.
To an extent, its layout reflects the complex heritage of the Ndebele people.
In 1881, after 11 years of occupation, Lobengula moved his capital to what is now the modern city of Bulawayo.
He ordered the destruction of the old settlement by fire.
In 1990, the NMMZ identified koBulawayo as suitable for an educational and tourist centre.
In 1998 it was reconstructed as a theme park.
