Buhera District
Buhera District is a district in Manicaland Zimbabwe.
Location
The district is located in Manicaland Province, in southeastern Zimbabwe. It is bordered by Chikomba District and Wedza District to the north, both in Mashonaland East Province. To the northeast lies Makoni District and Mutare District lies to the east. Chimanimani District and Chipinge District lie to the southeast. Gutu District, in Masvingo Province lies to the south and west of Buhera District. The district's main town, Buhera, is located approximately 170 kilometres (110 mi), by road, southwest of Mutare, the location of the provincial headquarters. Key towns include Buhera (district capital), Murambinda Growth Point, Nyashanu and Dorowa.
Overview
Buhera District is a rural district. The local economy depends mainly on farming. The main crops are: maize, millet (mhunga), roundnuts (nyimo) and Ground nut (nzungu). Cattle ranching is also practiced in the district. Although the rains are not very reliable, the area is fertile with several irrigation schemes for the populace to supplement their harvests. The largest employer in the district is Dorowa Minerals, a phosphate mine, which employs about 300 people.
History
The name Buhera is a Nguninised, then Anglicised version of the name uHera. uHera means territory of the Hera and is reference to the fact that the Hera ethnic group of the Shona lived in the area and in neighbouring Chikomba District. The vaHera of the Museyamwa totem occupy most of the Buhera territory under Chief Nyashanu and much of neighbouring Chikomba under chief Mutekedza.
The Va Hera are of the Shona tribe and claim that they came from Guruuswa, which has been identified as an area north of the Zambezi River, perhaps around Uganda or South Sudan. Chiurwi Mountain was a major staging point for ZANLA liberation forces, during the Second Chimurenga War (1966 - 1979).
Buhera district is the home of Witness Mangwende and Kumbirai Kangai.
Population/Government
During the 2012 district census, the population of the district was estimated at 245 878. The majority of the district residents are subsistence farmers, through a communal land system administered by the local chiefs. There are two designated urban areas in the district, namely; Murambinda and Birchenough Bridge.
The Zimbabwe 1985 Parliamentary Election returned to parliament:
Buhera North:
- Vhundukai Kenneth Manyonda Zanu PF - 25 313 votes.
- Stanford Chipfumbu PF-ZAPU - 224 votes.
- Benedict Tokoyo UANC - 139 votes.
Buhera South:
- Kumbirai Manyika Kangai Zanu PF - 34 397 votes.
- Misheck Pfende Mutongoreya ZANU - 376 votes.
- John Chirinda PF-ZAPU - 166 votes.
In the 1990 Parliamentary Election (see A History of Zimbabwean Elections) Buhera North returned to Parliament:
- Nevison Nyashanu of Zanu PF with 20 260 votes,
- Gabriel Chaiva of ZUM with 1 644 votes,
Turnout - 22 490 or 69.61 %
Buhera South returned:
- Kumbirai Kangai of Zanu PF with 22 423 votes,
- Lovemore Shoniwa of ZUM with 1 330 votes.
Turnout - 24 481
Buhera West returned:
- Victoria Chitepo of Zanu PF with 9 988 votes,
- Denny Munetsi of ZUM with 58 votes.
Turnout - 10 386
In the 2000 Elections, (see A History of Zimbabwean Elections) Buhera North returned to Parliament:
- Kenneth Vhundukai Manyonda of Zanu PF with 12 850 votes,
- Morgan Tsvangirai of MDC with 10 316 votes.
Buhera South returned:
- Kumbirai Manyika Kangai of Zanu PF with 14 016 votes,
- Stephen Seven Maambire of MDC with 7 821 votes.
The 2013 election results for six of the 210 constituencies: Buhera South, Bulilima West, Chiredzi North, Masvingo West, Mwenezi West, and Zvimba North, were never released by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission.
In the 2013 Elections, (see A History of Zimbabwean Elections) Buhera Central returned to Parliament:
- Ronald Muderedzwa of Zanu PF with 10 946 votes or 65.36 percent,
- Tangwara Matimba of MDC–T with 4 619 votes or 27.58 percent,
- Evison Revai of MDC–N with 880 votes or 5.25 percent,
- 1 other with 302 votes or 1.80 percent.
Total 16 747 votes
In the 2013 Elections, (see A History of Zimbabwean Elections) Buhera North returned to Parliament:
- William Mutomba of Zanu PF with 9 669 votes or 61.74 percent,
- Julius Magarangoma of MDC–T with 5 553 votes or 35.46 percent,
- Clever Taruvinga of MDC–N with 439 votes or 2.80 percent,
Total 15 661 votes
In the 2013 Elections, (see A History of Zimbabwean Elections) Buhera South returned to Parliament:
- Joseph Chinotimba of Zanu PF with 12 647 votes or 65.19 percent,
- Naison Nemadziva of MDC–T with 6 384 votes or 32.91 percent,
- Aletter Rushwaya of MDC–N with 369 votes or 1.90 percent,
Total 19 400 votes
In the 2013 Elections, (see A History of Zimbabwean Elections) Buhera West returned to Parliament:
- Oliver Mandipaka of Zanu PF with 10 351 votes or 57.11 percent,
- Jaison Matewu of MDC–T with 7 172 votes or 39.57 percent,
- Moses Mutyasira of MDC–N with 601 votes or 3.32 percent,
Total 18 124 votes
Local government in Buhera is Buhera RDC.
Further Reading
30 Janaury 2022 Buhera School Adds Beekeeping To Its New Curriculum [1]
