Zimbabwean British
Encyclopedia
Zimbabweans in the United Kingdom are the group that consists of Zimbabwean-born people who have migrated to the UK as well as their British-born descendants. The Zimbabwean community in the UK is diverse, consisting of individuals of differing racial, ethnic, class, and political groups. There are asylum seekers, refugees, labour migrants, students, undocumented migrants,
and others who have gained British citizenship.
has characterised Zimbabwean migration to the UK as divided into three waves. The initial wave of significant Zimbabwean migration consisted of white Zimbabweans who migrated after the country's independence from Britain. The second major wave lasted from 1990 until 1997, caused by the economic hardship that resulted from Zimbabwe's application of the World Bank
and International Monetary Fund
's Structural Adjustment Programme. The third wave began in 1998 and has resulted from political and social unrest in Zimbabwe. Prior to November 2002, Zimbabweans were free to travel to the UK without a visa and this provided a route to political asylum. In November 2002 the UK government introduced the requirement for Zimbabweans to apply for visas in order to travel to the UK, making it more difficult for them to apply for asylum. The number of Zimbabweans applying for asylum has fallen, and increasing numbers have sought refuge in South Africa
instead.
. According to Census figures, in 1971 some 7,905 Zimbabwean-born people were living in the UK. This figure rose to 16,330 in 1981 and to 21,252 in 1991. The 2001 UK Census recorded 49,524 Zimbabwean-born people residing in the UK. The Office for National Statistics
estimated that, in 2010, the figure of Zimbabwean-born people living in the UK has risen to 122,000.
Unofficial estimates of the total Zimbabwean British population, including British-born people of Zimbabwean origin, vary significantly. Numerous newspapers have speculated that the population might be as large as one million, including an estimate of 600,000 by The Observer
in 2003, but community organisations and leaders put the population in the range of 200,000 to 500,000.
and others who have gained British citizenship.
History and settlement
The International Organization for MigrationInternational Organization for Migration
The International Organization for Migration is an intergovernmental organization. It was initially established in 1951 as the Intergovernmental Committee for European Migration to help resettle people displaced by World War II....
has characterised Zimbabwean migration to the UK as divided into three waves. The initial wave of significant Zimbabwean migration consisted of white Zimbabweans who migrated after the country's independence from Britain. The second major wave lasted from 1990 until 1997, caused by the economic hardship that resulted from Zimbabwe's application of the World Bank
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
and International Monetary Fund
International Monetary Fund
The International Monetary Fund is an organization of 187 countries, working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world...
's Structural Adjustment Programme. The third wave began in 1998 and has resulted from political and social unrest in Zimbabwe. Prior to November 2002, Zimbabweans were free to travel to the UK without a visa and this provided a route to political asylum. In November 2002 the UK government introduced the requirement for Zimbabweans to apply for visas in order to travel to the UK, making it more difficult for them to apply for asylum. The number of Zimbabweans applying for asylum has fallen, and increasing numbers have sought refuge in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
instead.
Population
The majority of Zimbabweans in the UK are first-generation immigrantsImmigrant generations
The term first-generation [citizen of a country], e.g., "first-generation Ruritanian" may have either of two different meanings:*A citizen of the country who is a naturalized immigrant.or*A citizen whose parents are naturalized immigrants....
. According to Census figures, in 1971 some 7,905 Zimbabwean-born people were living in the UK. This figure rose to 16,330 in 1981 and to 21,252 in 1991. The 2001 UK Census recorded 49,524 Zimbabwean-born people residing in the UK. The Office for National Statistics
Office for National Statistics
The Office for National Statistics is the executive office of the UK Statistics Authority, a non-ministerial department which reports directly to the Parliament of the United Kingdom.- Overview :...
estimated that, in 2010, the figure of Zimbabwean-born people living in the UK has risen to 122,000.
Unofficial estimates of the total Zimbabwean British population, including British-born people of Zimbabwean origin, vary significantly. Numerous newspapers have speculated that the population might be as large as one million, including an estimate of 600,000 by The Observer
The Observer
The Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
in 2003, but community organisations and leaders put the population in the range of 200,000 to 500,000.
Spread and distribution
The Zimbabwean population is widely dispersed across the UK. The largest communities can be found in the UK's larger cities and towns. The table below shows the geographic spread of Zimbabwean people in the UK in 2006, based on estimates by community leaders.| Estimated Zimbabwean population |
Location(s) |
|---|---|
| 40,000 | London London London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its... |
| 20,000 each | Leeds Leeds Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial... , Luton Luton Luton is a large town and unitary authority of Bedfordshire, England, 30 miles north of London. Luton and its near neighbours, Dunstable and Houghton Regis, form the Luton/Dunstable Urban Area with a population of about 250,000.... |
| 10,000 each | Birmingham Birmingham Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a... , Manchester Manchester Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater... , Milton Keynes Milton Keynes Milton Keynes , sometimes abbreviated MK, is a large town in Buckinghamshire, in the south east of England, about north-west of London. It is the administrative centre of the Borough of Milton Keynes... , Sheffield Sheffield Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely... , Slough Slough Slough is a borough and unitary authority within the ceremonial county of Royal Berkshire, England. The town straddles the A4 Bath Road and the Great Western Main Line, west of central London... |
| 5,000 each | Coventry Coventry Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although... , Glasgow Glasgow Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands... , Leicester Leicester Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest... , Wolverhampton Wolverhampton Wolverhampton is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England. For Eurostat purposes Walsall and Wolverhampton is a NUTS 3 region and is one of five boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "West Midlands" NUTS 2 region... |
| 3,000 each | Edinburgh Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area... , Liverpool Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880... |
| 2,000 | Bristol Bristol Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007... |
| 1,000 each | Cardiff Cardiff Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for... , Oxford Oxford The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through... |
Notable people
- Brian ChikwavaBrian ChikwavaBrian Chikwava is an African writer. His short story Seventh Street Alchemy was awarded the 2004 Caine Prize for African Writing and Chikwava became the first Zimbabwean to do so. He has been a Charles Pick fellow at the University of East Anglia, and lives in London...
- writer and musician - Chelsy DavyChelsy DavyChelsy Yvonne Davy is a Zimbabwean National who was the on-off girlfriend of Prince Harry of Wales from early 2004 to May 2010.- Early life :...
- Prince Harry'sPrince Harry of WalesPrince Henry of Wales , commonly known as Prince Harry, is the younger son of Charles, Prince of Wales and the late Diana, Princess of Wales, and fourth grandchild of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
girlfriend was born in BulawayoBulawayoBulawayo 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... - Daniel DumileDaniel DumileDaniel Dumile is a hip hop artist who has taken on several stage names in his career, most notably MF DOOM, where the "MF" stands for metal face, and for tracks he has produced, metal fingers...
- English born US singer with TrinidadTrinidadTrinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
ian and Zimbabwean parentage - Duncan FletcherDuncan FletcherDuncan Andrew Gwynne Fletcher OBE is a former Zimbabwean cricketer, formerly captain of the Zimbabwean cricket team and the current coach of the Indian Cricket Team. He has been appointed as coach of the Indian Cricket Team on April 27, 2011...
- former coach of the English cricket teamEnglish cricket teamThe England and Wales cricket team is a cricket team which represents England and Wales. Until 1992 it also represented Scotland. Since 1 January 1997 it has been governed by the England and Wales Cricket Board , having been previously governed by Marylebone Cricket Club from 1903 until the end... - Bruce GrobbelaarBruce GrobbelaarBruce David Grobbelaar is a former football goalkeeper and manager.He played for a number of clubs in a career which spanned for more than 20 years at professional level, most notably Liverpool during their dominant period in the 1980s and early 1990s.-Early years:In his teenage years, Grobbelaar...
- South African born footballer with British and Zimbabwean links - Kubi IndiKubi IndiKubi Chaza Indi is a Zimbabwean development activist and businesswoman. Under her maiden name, Kubi Chaza, she was an actress in the UK, appearing in Live and Let Die in 1973 as a saleswoman picking up James Bond. After returning to Zimbabwe, she and actor husband John Indi started a company...
- development activist, businesswoman and actress - JameliaJameliaJamelia Niela Davis , best known mononymously as Jamelia, is an English singer-songwriter, model, entertainer, television presenter and actress. She is most famous for her use of a cappella and prolific work in the R&B genre...
- Singer of Jamaican and Zimbabwean parentage - Rise KagonaBhundu BoysThe Bhundu Boys were a Zimbabwean band that played a mixture of chimurenga music with American rock and roll, disco, country, and pop influences...
- guitarist for Bhundu Boys - Kuda MatimbaBhundu BoysThe Bhundu Boys were a Zimbabwean band that played a mixture of chimurenga music with American rock and roll, disco, country, and pop influences...
- member of Bhundu Boys - Benjani MwaruwariBenjani MwaruwariBenjamin Mwaruwari , known as Benjani, is a Zimbabwean footballer who currently plays for Portsmouth in the Football League Championship, where he plays as a striker....
- Zimbabwean born footballer of MalawiMalawiThe Republic of Malawi is a landlocked country in southeast Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast, and Mozambique on the east, south and west. The country is separated from Tanzania and Mozambique by Lake Malawi. Its size...
an decent - Thandie NewtonThandie NewtonThandiwe Nashita "Thandie" Newton is a British actress. She has appeared in a number of British and American films, including The Pursuit of Happyness, Mission: Impossible II, Crash, Run, Fatboy, Run and W....
- actress of Zimbabwean descent - Lewin NyatangaLewin NyatangaLewin John Nyatanga is a Welsh footballer who plays for Bristol City and the Wales national team as a defender.-Derby County:...
- footballer of Zimbabwean and Welsh descent - RozallaRozallaRozalla is a dance music performer, born to a Zambian mother and a Zimbabwean father...
- dancer of Zambian and English parentage - Shingai ShoniwaShingai ShoniwaShingai Elizabeth Maria Shoniwa is an English singer of Zimbabwean descent and best known as the vocalist and bassist for the UK indie rock band Noisettes...
- musician - Ian NapaIan NapaIan Napa is a British boxer originally from Zimbabwe but now living in London. He is the former European bantamweight champion and is a former two time holder of the British bantamweight title.-Early professional career:...
- British Bantamweight boxing champion - Tendayi JembereTendayi JembereTendayi Jembere aka TJ, Tee J is a British actor who is best known for his part in the television show Kerching! 2003 where he played the character of Seymour who was the best friend of Taj Lewis who was the lead character.He grew up in East London...
- Actor - Graeme HickGraeme HickGraeme Ashley Hick MBE is a Zimbabwean-born cricketer who played 65 Test matches and 120 One Day Internationals for England. He played county cricket for Worcestershire for his entire English domestic career, a period of well over twenty years, and in 2008 he surpassed Graham Gooch's record for...
- Zimbabwean born cricketer - Dereck Chisora - Zimbabwean born boxing champion