Place names in Zimbabwe
Encyclopedia
Following independence in 1980, Zimbabwe
(formerly Rhodesia
) began renaming
cities, towns and streets, in an attempt to eradicate symbols of British colonialism and white minority rule, starting in 1982, on the second anniversary of independence. The capital Salisbury, which had been named after the British Prime Minister, the 3rd Marquess of Salisbury
, was renamed Harare
, after the Shona chief Neharawa. Other place names were simply new transliteration
s, to reflect the correct pronunciation in the Shona language
. Hence the city of Gwelo became Gweru. Many places had been denoted with the Ndebele language
pronunciation during the colonial period and this generally included the letter "L" which does not exist in Shona.
While most larger cities and towns were renamed, the European spelling of Zimbabwe's second-largest city, Bulawayo
, remains unchanged. Other towns which have retained names of European origin include mostly smaller communities such as Beitbridge
, Colleen Bawn
, West Nicholson
, Fort Rixon
, Craigmore, Cashel
, Juliasdale
, Glendale
, and Birchenough Bridge
. The colonial-era names of suburbs around Harare, such as Borrowdale, Highlands, Rietfontein, Tynwald, and Mount Pleasant also remained unchanged. An exception was Harari, which was renamed Mbare.
Street name
s were also changed, with names of British colonists such as Cecil Rhodes being replaced with those of Zimbabwean nationalist leaders, such as Josia Tongogara, Simon Muzenda
, and Leopold Takawira
. Robert Mugabe
's name eventually became attached to the main street or town centre of every sizeable town as a result of a spate of changes in 1990. Other streets have been named after leaders of neighbouring countries, such as Samora Machel
of Mozambique
, Julius Nyerere
of Tanzania
, Kenneth Kaunda
of Zambia
and Nelson Mandela
of South Africa. Others have a general pan-African nationalist theme, such as Africa Unity Square in Harare, formerly Cecil Square.
While these changes have had general acceptance, except among some whites, a more controversial practice has been the recent renaming of schools after Robert Mugabe, prompting accusations of a personality cult.
. From 1895 the territory that comprised Matabeleland
and Mashonaland
became known as Rhodesia
together with the territories beyond the Zambezi river northwards to the Congo Free State
. From 1911, due to the unwieldy nature of the territory, Southern Rhodesia
was distinguished from Northern Rhodesia
, although it was only separated in 1923, when it alone achieved self-government.
When Northern Rhodesia achieved independence as Zambia
, the Southern Rhodesian government introduced a Bill to allow the country to be known as just Rhodesia
, which passed its third reading on 9 December 1964. Although no assent was given to the Bill, the revised name was widely adopted, and following U.D.I.
in 1965 was the name of the unrecognized government.
Following the internal settlement of 1978, when the new institutions of government came into power on 1 June 1979 the country adopted the name Zimbabwe Rhodesia
. The Lancaster House Agreement
required that the United Kingdom regain temporary administration before free elections and independence, and this happened on 11 December 1979 with reversion to the former name of Rhodesia. Independence was recognised under the name of Zimbabwe
on 18 April 1980.
Zimbabwe
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...
(formerly Rhodesia
Rhodesia
Rhodesia , officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised state located in southern Africa that existed between 1965 and 1979 following its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965...
) began renaming
Geographical renaming
Geographical renaming is the changing of the name of a geographical feature or area. This can range from the uncontroversial change of a street name to a highly disputed change to the name of a country. Some names are changed locally but the new names are not recognised by other countries,...
cities, towns and streets, in an attempt to eradicate symbols of British colonialism and white minority rule, starting in 1982, on the second anniversary of independence. The capital Salisbury, which had been named after the British Prime Minister, the 3rd Marquess of Salisbury
Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury
Robert Arthur Talbot Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury, KG, GCVO, PC , styled Lord Robert Cecil before 1865 and Viscount Cranborne from June 1865 until April 1868, was a British Conservative statesman and thrice Prime Minister, serving for a total of over 13 years...
, was renamed Harare
Harare
Harare before 1982 known as Salisbury) is the largest city and capital of Zimbabwe. It has an estimated population of 1,600,000, with 2,800,000 in its metropolitan area . Administratively, Harare is an independent city equivalent to a province. It is Zimbabwe's largest city and its...
, after the Shona chief Neharawa. Other place names were simply new transliteration
Transliteration
Transliteration is a subset of the science of hermeneutics. It is a form of translation, and is the practice of converting a text from one script into another...
s, to reflect the correct pronunciation in the Shona language
Shona language
Shona is a Bantu language, native to the Shona people of Zimbabwe and southern Zambia; the term is also used to identify peoples who speak one of the Shona language dialects: Zezuru, Karanga, Manyika, Ndau and Korekore...
. Hence the city of Gwelo became Gweru. Many places had been denoted with the Ndebele language
Northern Ndebele language
The Northern Ndebele language, isiNdebele, or Ndebele is an African language belonging to the Nguni group of Bantu languages, and spoken by the Ndebele or Matabele people of Zimbabwe. It is commonly known as Sindebele....
pronunciation during the colonial period and this generally included the letter "L" which does not exist in Shona.
| Old name | Post-1982 name |
|---|---|
| Balla Balla | Mbalabala Mbalabala Mbalabala is a village on the main Beitbridge-Bulawayo road in Matabeleland, Zimbabwe. Situated approximately 41 miles south-east of the city of Bulawayo. The name is derived from the Ndebele name for the greater kudu... |
| Belingwe | Mberengwa |
| Chipinga | Chipinge Chipinge Chipinge is a town in southeastern Zimbabwe in the province of Manicaland near the Mozambique border. The town lies in a valley in the southern Eastern Highlands. One of Zimbabwe's most famous landmarks, the Birchenough Bridge is located on the Sabi River 62 km from Chipinge... |
| Enkeldoorn | Chivhu Chivhu Chivhu is a small town in Zimbabwe, with an estimated population of 10,000 in 2007. It is located south of Harare on the main road south to Masvingo and South Africa.-History:... |
| Essexvale | Esigodini Esigodini Esigodini is a village in Zimbabwe in Matabeleland South province. It is situated 43 km from Bulawayo by road and 47 km by rail on the Bulawayo-Beitbridge line. According to the 1982 Population Census, the village had a population of 1,492. Esigodini is the administrative centre for Umzingwane... |
| Fort Victoria | Masvingo Masvingo Masvingo is a town in south-eastern Zimbabwe and the capital of Masvingo Province. The town is close to Great Zimbabwe, the national monument from which the country takes its name.- History :... |
| Gwelo | Gweru Gweru Gweru is a city near the centre of Zimbabwe at . It has a population of about 146,073 , making it the third largest city in the nation. Gweru is the capital of Midlands Province. Gweru was founded in 1894 by Dr. Leander Starr Jameson. The first bank opened in Gweru in 1896, and the stock exchange... |
| Gatooma | Kadoma Kadoma, Zimbabwe Kadoma is a city in Zimbabwe in the Mashonaland West province, 140 km south-west of Harare on the main road to Bulawayo. It was known as Gatooma until 1982.... |
| Hartley | Chegutu Chegutu Chegutu is a town in the Mashonaland West province, northern Zimbabwe and is 110km southwest of Harare on the main Harare-Bulawayo road . According to the 1992 Population Census, the town had a population of 30,191... |
| Inyanga | Nyanga Nyanga, Zimbabwe Nyanga is a town in the province of Manicaland, Zimbabwe, located adjacent to Nyanga National Park in the Eastern Highlands about 105 km north of Mutare. According to the 1982 Population Census, the town had a population of 2,973.... |
| Marandellas | Marondera Marondera Marondera is a town in Mashonaland East, Zimbabwe, located about 72 km east of Harare; population 39,384... |
| Matopos | Matobo Matobo Matobo can refer to:*Matobo National Park in Zimbabwe*Matobo District, an administrative division of Zimbabwe*Matobo, a village in Botswana... |
| Melsetter | Chimanimani |
| Que Que | Kwekwe 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... |
| Salisbury | Harare Harare Harare before 1982 known as Salisbury) is the largest city and capital of Zimbabwe. It has an estimated population of 1,600,000, with 2,800,000 in its metropolitan area . Administratively, Harare is an independent city equivalent to a province. It is Zimbabwe's largest city and its... |
| Selukwe | Shurugwi Shurugwi Shurugwi, formerly Selukwe, a town and administrative centre in Midlands Province, southern Zimbabwe, located about 350 km south of Harare; population 16,138... |
| Shabani | Zvishavane |
| Sinoia | Chinhoyi Chinhoyi Chinhoyi is a large provincial town and is the capital of Mashonaland West province in Zimbabwe. Sinoia was established in 1906 as a group settlement scheme by a wealthy Italian called Lieutenant Margherito Guidotti who encouraged 10 Italian families to settle there.- Overview :Chinhoyi is located... |
| Umtali | Mutare Mutare Mutare is the fourth largest city in Zimbabwe, with a population of around 170,000. It is the capital of Manicaland province.-History:... |
| Wankie | Hwange Hwange Hwange is a town in western Zimbabwe, in the province of Matabeleland North. It is named after the chieftain of Zwange, who is now called Chief Hwange. The town was known as Wankie until 1982. According to the 1992 Population Census, the town had a population of 42,581... |
While most larger cities and towns were renamed, the European spelling of Zimbabwe's second-largest city, Bulawayo
Bulawayo
Bulawayo is the second largest city in Zimbabwe after the capital Harare, with an estimated population in 2010 of 2,000,000. It is located in Matabeleland, 439 km southwest of Harare, and is now treated as a separate provincial area from Matabeleland...
, remains unchanged. Other towns which have retained names of European origin include mostly smaller communities such as Beitbridge
Beitbridge
Beitbridge or Mzingwane is a border town in the province of Matabeleland South, Zimbabwe. The name also refers to the border post and bridge spanning the Limpopo River, which forms the political border between South Africa and Zimbabwe.-Background:...
, Colleen Bawn
Colleen Bawn
For the Dion Boucicault play, please see The Colleen BawnColleen Bawn is a village in the province of Matabeleland South, Zimbabwe. It is located about 153 km south-east of Bulawayo on the main Bulawayo-Beitbridge road...
, West Nicholson
West Nicholson
West Nicholson or Tshabezi is a village in the province of Matabeleland South, Zimbabwe. It is located about halfway between Zimbabwe's second largest city, Bulawayo, and the border town to South Africa, Beitbridge, along the main road and rail link to South Africa.According to the 1982 Population...
, Fort Rixon
Fort Rixon
Fort Rixon is a village and farming centre in Matabeleland in the Republic of Zimbabwe, located some north-east of Bulawayo. It was founded as a military outpost in 1896 during the rebellion of the Matabele nation against British colonial rule of Rhodesia....
, Craigmore, Cashel
Cashel, Zimbabwe
Cashel is a village in the province of Manicaland, Zimbabwe located near the Mozambique border just north of the Chimanimani mountains. Forestry, bananas, wheat and other cash crops are grown in the area. It was originally called Penkridge but was changed to Cashel in 1957...
, Juliasdale
Juliasdale
Juliasdale is a town in the province of Manicaland, Zimbabwe located in the Eastern Highlands about 23 km south of Nyanga. Forestry and fruit are farmed in the region. While it is home to the first Casino in the country, the mountainous town is an attractive destination for tourism....
, Glendale
Glendale, Zimbabwe
Glendale is a village in the province of Mashonaland Central, Zimbabwe. The village of Glendale in Zimbabwe was named after a town of the same name in Northumberland, England. Glendale is located in the Mazowe valley of Zimbabwe, about 85 km north east of Harare...
, and Birchenough Bridge
Birchenough Bridge
Birchenough Bridge is the name for both a bridge across the Save River and a village next to the bridge. Birchenough Bridge is located 62 km from Chipinge in the Manicaland province of Zimbabwe linking Mutare with Masvingo. The bridge was funded and planned by the Beit Trust, a foundation...
. The colonial-era names of suburbs around Harare, such as Borrowdale, Highlands, Rietfontein, Tynwald, and Mount Pleasant also remained unchanged. An exception was Harari, which was renamed Mbare.
Street name
Street name
A street name or odonym is an identifying name given to a street. The street name usually forms part of the address...
s were also changed, with names of British colonists such as Cecil Rhodes being replaced with those of Zimbabwean nationalist leaders, such as Josia Tongogara, Simon Muzenda
Simon Muzenda
Simon Vengai Muzenda was a Shona from the Karanga group, a Zimbabwean politician who served as a Deputy Prime Minister and vice president under President Robert Mugabe, a Shona Zezeru....
, and Leopold Takawira
Leopold Takawira
Leopold Takawira served as the Vice President of the Zimbabwe African National Union after supporting the National Democratic Party and later the Zimbabwe African People's Union.Leopold Takawira was also known by his Mhazi to totem as 'Shumba yeChirumanzi'Takawira was born at Chirumanzi, Victoria...
. Robert Mugabe
Robert Mugabe
Robert Gabriel Mugabe is the President of Zimbabwe. As one of the leaders of the liberation movement against white-minority rule, he was elected into power in 1980...
's name eventually became attached to the main street or town centre of every sizeable town as a result of a spate of changes in 1990. Other streets have been named after leaders of neighbouring countries, such as Samora Machel
Samora Machel
Samora Moisés Machel was a Mozambican military commander, revolutionary socialist leader and eventual President of Mozambique...
of Mozambique
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
, Julius Nyerere
Julius Nyerere
Julius Kambarage Nyerere was a Tanzanian politician who served as the first President of Tanzania and previously Tanganyika, from the country's founding in 1961 until his retirement in 1985....
of Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
, Kenneth Kaunda
Kenneth Kaunda
Kenneth David Kaunda, known as KK, served as the first President of Zambia, from 1964 to 1991.-Early life:Kaunda was the youngest of eight children. He was born at Lubwa Mission in Chinsali, Northern Province of Northern Rhodesia, now Zambia...
of Zambia
Zambia
Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
and Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing...
of South Africa. Others have a general pan-African nationalist theme, such as Africa Unity Square in Harare, formerly Cecil Square.
While these changes have had general acceptance, except among some whites, a more controversial practice has been the recent renaming of schools after Robert Mugabe, prompting accusations of a personality cult.
Name of the country
The de facto name of the country has also changed several times. From 1889 to 1892, the territory was referred to as Zambesia. This is now the name of a province in MozambiqueMozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
. From 1895 the territory that comprised Matabeleland
Matabeleland
Modern day Matabeleland is a region in Zimbabwe divided into three provinces: Matabeleland North, Bulawayo and Matabeleland South. These provinces are in the west and south-west of Zimbabwe, between the Limpopo and Zambezi rivers. The region is named after its inhabitants, the Ndebele people...
and Mashonaland
Mashonaland
Mashonaland is a region in northern Zimbabwe. It is the home of the Shona people.Currently, Mashonaland is divided into three provinces, with a total population of about 3 million:* Mashonaland West* Mashonaland Central* Mashonaland East...
became known as Rhodesia
Rhodesia
Rhodesia , officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised state located in southern Africa that existed between 1965 and 1979 following its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965...
together with the territories beyond the Zambezi river northwards to the Congo Free State
Congo Free State
The Congo Free State was a large area in Central Africa which was privately controlled by Leopold II, King of the Belgians. Its origins lay in Leopold's attracting scientific, and humanitarian backing for a non-governmental organization, the Association internationale africaine...
. From 1911, due to the unwieldy nature of the territory, Southern Rhodesia
Southern Rhodesia
Southern Rhodesia was the name of the British colony situated north of the Limpopo River and the Union of South Africa. From its independence in 1965 until its extinction in 1980, it was known as Rhodesia...
was distinguished from Northern Rhodesia
Northern Rhodesia
Northern Rhodesia was a territory in south central Africa, formed in 1911. It became independent in 1964 as Zambia.It was initially administered under charter by the British South Africa Company and formed by it in 1911 by amalgamating North-Western Rhodesia and North-Eastern Rhodesia...
, although it was only separated in 1923, when it alone achieved self-government.
When Northern Rhodesia achieved independence as Zambia
Zambia
Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
, the Southern Rhodesian government introduced a Bill to allow the country to be known as just Rhodesia
Rhodesia
Rhodesia , officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised state located in southern Africa that existed between 1965 and 1979 following its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965...
, which passed its third reading on 9 December 1964. Although no assent was given to the Bill, the revised name was widely adopted, and following U.D.I.
Unilateral Declaration of Independence (Rhodesia)
The Unilateral Declaration of Independence of Rhodesia from the United Kingdom was signed on November 11, 1965, by the administration of Ian Smith, whose Rhodesian Front party opposed black majority rule in the then British colony. Although it declared independence from the United Kingdom it...
in 1965 was the name of the unrecognized government.
Following the internal settlement of 1978, when the new institutions of government came into power on 1 June 1979 the country adopted the name Zimbabwe Rhodesia
Zimbabwe Rhodesia
Zimbabwe Rhodesia , officially the Republic of Zimbabwe Rhodesia, was an unrecognized state that existed from 1 June 1979 to 12 December 1979...
. The Lancaster House Agreement
Lancaster House Agreement
The negotiations which led to the Lancaster House Agreement brought independence to Rhodesia following Ian Smith’s Unilateral Declaration of Independence in 1965. The Agreement covered the Independence Constitution, pre-independence arrangements, and a ceasefire...
required that the United Kingdom regain temporary administration before free elections and independence, and this happened on 11 December 1979 with reversion to the former name of Rhodesia. Independence was recognised under the name of Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
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...
on 18 April 1980.