Mbizo
Encyclopedia
Mbizo is a high density suburb in Kwekwe
. It is located east of the city center across the railway line from ZIMASCO, the ferro-chrome producer. The suburb is divided into several sections all numbered one up to twenty. Mbizo Section One and Two form the oldest part of the suburb, which were originally built to house cheap labor for the gold mines in up town.
Mbizo Stadium
is located across from section one. nearby, Manunure High School sprawls in a meadow across the street from section two.
's main towns and cities, was formally a black only area, reserved for the poor and African population that streamed to the town in search of jobs. Together with Amaveni
, Mbizo supplied the much needed labor to the gold mines scattered across the growing town. Since independence, the population of the suburb has exploded and the suburb itself has expanded from two sections numbered one and two, to eighteen. Most of these sections have extensions called 'one extension' and so forth.
, Mbizo has seen its share of political disturbances. Since 2000, when the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) competed in elections, there has been sporadic political violence in many parts of the ward, from section 1 all to section 20.
As in most acts of political violence, ZANU-PF militia units have been at the forefront of political violence in the township, and the police has stood by without arresting perpetrators of violence. Members of the MDC have been kidnapped, had their homes burnt and have been persecuted by the Zimbabwe Republic Police
(ZRP) on many occasions. Reports of political violence in Mbizo have been reported in 2000, 2002, 2005, 2006, and 2008.
Kwekwe
Kwekwe or Kwe Kwe , formerly spelt Que Que, is a city in central Zimbabwe. It is located in the centre of the country —roughly equidistant from Harare to the northeast and Bulawayo to the southwest. Its population stood at 47,607 in 1982, 75,425 in 1992 and the preliminary result of the 2002...
. It is located east of the city center across the railway line from ZIMASCO, the ferro-chrome producer. The suburb is divided into several sections all numbered one up to twenty. Mbizo Section One and Two form the oldest part of the suburb, which were originally built to house cheap labor for the gold mines in up town.
Mbizo Stadium
Mbizo Stadium
Mbizo Stadium is a small stadium in Mbizo township, north-west of the city of Kwekwe in Zimbabwe. It is used for various activities, from hosting music concerts by popular artists like Alick Macheso, Simon Chimbetu to Tongai Moyo, a native of the town. The stadium is located in Mbizo section one,...
is located across from section one. nearby, Manunure High School sprawls in a meadow across the street from section two.
Background
The suburb, as is everything in ZimbabweZimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
's main towns and cities, was formally a black only area, reserved for the poor and African population that streamed to the town in search of jobs. Together with Amaveni
Amaveni
Amaveni is a high density suburb in Kwekwe, three miles from the city center. It is located across from the low density suburb of Fichlea, west of Kwekwe City Center. Together with Mbizo Township, they were built in the halcyon days in mid-1950s to house cheap labor for the big gold mines like...
, Mbizo supplied the much needed labor to the gold mines scattered across the growing town. Since independence, the population of the suburb has exploded and the suburb itself has expanded from two sections numbered one and two, to eighteen. Most of these sections have extensions called 'one extension' and so forth.
In the news
It is the home of Samukeliso Sithole, a man who competed in women's events under a pretense of being a woman.Politics
Like other townships in the working suburbs of cities across ZimbabweZimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
, Mbizo has seen its share of political disturbances. Since 2000, when the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) competed in elections, there has been sporadic political violence in many parts of the ward, from section 1 all to section 20.
As in most acts of political violence, ZANU-PF militia units have been at the forefront of political violence in the township, and the police has stood by without arresting perpetrators of violence. Members of the MDC have been kidnapped, had their homes burnt and have been persecuted by the Zimbabwe Republic Police
Zimbabwe Republic Police
The Zimbabwe Republic Police is the national police force of Zimbabwe, known until July 1980 as the British South Africa Police. -Structure:...
(ZRP) on many occasions. Reports of political violence in Mbizo have been reported in 2000, 2002, 2005, 2006, and 2008.