Chitungwiza is the third populous urban centre in Zimbabwe and town of Harare Province in Zimbabwe. It is located on the outskirts of Harare.
Chitungwiza | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Coat of arms | |
| Nickname: Chi Town | |
| Motto: Pamberi nekushandira pamwe | |
  Chitungwiza | |
| Coordinates: 17°59′38″S 31°02′53″E / 17.99389°S 31.04806°E | |
| Country | Zimbabwe |
| Province | Harare Province |
| Area | |
• Total | 49.02 km2 (18.93 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 1,448 m (4,751 ft) |
| Population (2022 census)[1] | |
• Total | 371,244 |
| • Density | 7,600/km2 (20,000/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC 2 (CAT) |
| Climate | Cwb |
| Website | www |
History
editAs of the 2022 census, Chitungwiza had a population of 371,244.[1]
There are two main highways which connect the city to Harare[2] namely Seke road and Chitungwiza road.
The Chitungwiza Aquatic Complex, built in 1995 for the All Africa Games, is no longer functional, and serves as a music and church venue.[3]
Informal settlements
editFollowing the civil war, the area experienced rapid Rural-urban migration. Chitungwiza grew rapidly and the squatted area of Chirambahuyo alone had a population of 30,000 in 1979.[4] Chirambahuyo was demolished by the authorities in 1982 and the inhabitants squatted elsewhere in the city in areas such as Mayambara.[5]
Slum areas in Chitungwiza were destroyed by Operation Murambatsvina in 2005.[6] By the mid-2010s, the number of people squatting in informal settlements was growing.[7] In 2020, the local authorities abandoned their plans to demolish squatter homes in Nyatsime, Seke, St Mary’s and Zengeza, after a court order was requested.[8]
Notable people
editProminent lawyer, Liveours Mundieta comes from Chitungwiza. [9]
The musician Maskiri comes from Chitungwiza.[10]
The town clerk in 2016 was Dr George Makunde.[11] In 2019 and 2020, Dr. Tonderai Kasu served as the acting town clerk.[12] Emmanuel Makandiwa and Alick Macheso are from Chitungwiza.
Current mayor: Lovemore Maiko[13]
References
edit- ^ a b Citypopulation.de Population of the major cities in Zimbabwe
- ^ Financial Gazette editorial of 17 May 2006 "Zimbabwe: It's Chombo's Fault"
- ^ "Chitungwiza Aquatic Complex-begging for restoration". Newsday. 11 October 2013. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
- ^ MSINDO, Prince Daniel; GUTSA, Ignatius; CHOGUYA, Naume Zorodzai (2013). "Squatter Settlements an Urban Menace in Zimbabwe? Examining Factors behind the Continued Resurfacing of Squatter Settlements in Epworth Suburb, Harare" (PDF). Journal of Settlements and Spatial Planning. 4 (2).
- ^ Ramsamy, Edward (27 September 2006). World Bank and Urban Development: From Projects to Policy. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-134-28696-6.
- ^ Potts, Deborah (2006). "'Restoring Order'? Operation Murambatsvina and the Urban Crisis in Zimbabwe". Journal of Southern African Studies. 32 (2): 273–291. Bibcode:2006JSAfS..32..273P. doi:10.1080/03057070600656200. ISSN 0305-7070. JSTOR 25065092. S2CID 154537881.
- ^ Matabvu, Debra; Agere, Harmony (11 January 2015). "Squatters: Housing shortages or lawlessness?". The Sunday Mail. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
- ^ "Chitungwiza Municipality Halts House Demolition Exercise". New Zimbabwe. 12 October 2020. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
- ^ "Topic : Liveours Mundieta". Newsday. 18 December 2022. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
- ^ "Maskiri returns with a bang". The Standard. 19 March 2018. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
- ^ "The Oracle: Makunde is blind to the poverty around him". The Standard. 14 February 2016.
- ^ "Town clerk, housing director suspended". The Herald.
- ^ "Mayor". Chitungwiza. Retrieved 2 February 2022.