Bulawayo

History

Originally, Bulawayo was the capital of the Ndebele State during the time of King Mzilikazi. The city was founded by the Ndebele king, Mzilikazi kaMatshobana around 1840.^[2] By 1872 it was made a royal town by Mzilikazi. The city's occupation by the British South Africa Company on 4 November 1893, following the 1893 Anglo/Ndebele War, signified the end of the Matabeleland nation and the birth of Bulawayo as a city. This is the day that marked Lobengula's death and the conclusion of the Matabele War. On this day the Union Jack flag was raised representing the official founding of Bulawayo as a town. ^[3] In 1897, the new town of Bulawayo acquired the status of municipality. It gained city status later, in 1943.

Historically there have been three distinct Bulawayos. Initially named “Gibixhegu”, (now called "Old Bulawayo") was Lobengula's original home from 1871. In 1881, he moved north to the northern part of the modern city, and the capital was later named “ko Bulawayo”. Because it was founded on Lobengula's capital, it is known as the name “City of Kings”. This was then settled on by the colonists post-war.

It attained town status on 1 June 1894 and had the first Municipal Council of 9 elected members in November 1897. By 1943 Bulawayo had attained city status. Bulawayo is the second largest city in Zimbabwe and the centre of Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South Province, and Bulawayo Metropolitan Province. ^{[4] [5]}

Population

Bulawayo is a multicultural city mainly populated by the Ndebele ethnic group which arrived in Zimbabwe in the 19th century from Zululand. Most of Bulawayo's residents can speak at least three languages (including English, Ndebele, Kalanga, Sotho, Nambya, Tonga and Venda).
1969 Rhodesia Census recorded: 187 270 African, 49 703 European, 2 410 Asians, 5 653 Coloureds, for a total of 245 040 people. ^[6]
2012 Zimbabwe National Statistical Agency (ZimStat) survey, the city had a population of 655 675, Males- 304 446, Females- 351 229. ^[7]

In October 2022, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission released voter population figures to be used to determine the constituencies and or wards that shall be divided under the delimitation exercise. ZEC said the numbers were obtained on 31 May 2022.
Population Totals (May 2022):
Bulawayo Metropolitan - 270 938
Harare Metropolitan - 952 102
Manicaland - 738 624
Mashonaland Central - 536 463
Mashonaland East - 641 668
Mashonaland West - 661 289
Masvingo - 632 320
Matabeleland North - 340 427
Matabeleland South - 267 617
Midlands - 762 928
Total - 5 804376 ^[8]

Government

In the Zimbabwe 1985 Parliamentary Election, Bulawayo returned to Parliament:

• Lot Sitshebo Senda of PF-ZAPU - 26 710 votes.
• Amina Huges of Zanu PF - 13 537 votes.
• Gladys Tiriboyi of UANC - 1 387 votes.
• Phineas Toreveti Murefu of ZANU - 253 votes.

In the 1990 Parliamentary Election (see A History of Zimbabwean Elections) Bulawayo North returned to Parliament:

• John Nkomo of Zanu PF with 8 581 votes,
• Crispen Mwete of ZUM with 4 550 votes.

(Turnout - 13 743, 38.74 %)

Bulawayo South returned to Parliament:

• Lot Senda of Zanu PF with 9 661 votes,
• Samson Mushore of ZUM with 5 405 votes,
• Themba Dlodlo, Independent with 2 110 votes,
• Zachariah Chigumira of ZANU–Ndonga with 830.

(Turnout 18 789, 56.56 %)

In the 2000 Elections, (see A History of Zimbabwean Elections) Bulawayo North East returned to Parliament:

• Welshman Ncube of MDC with 21 100 votes,
• Joshua Malinga of Zanu PF with 2 864 votes,
• Sikhumbuzo Ncube of ZAPU with 227 votes,
• Arnold Payne, Independent, with 87 votes,
• Eliakimo Ncube of Liberty Party with 37 votes.

Bulawayo South returned:

• David Coltart of MDC with 20 781 votes,
• Callistus Ndlovu of Zanu PF with 3 193 votes,
• Charles Mpofu, Independent, with 281 votes,
• Done Dhlmini of ZAPU with 34 votes,
• Shadreck Ndlovu of UP with 25 votes.

In the 2013 Elections, (see A History of Zimbabwean Elections) Bulawayo Central returned to Parliament:

• Dorcas Sibanda of MDC–T with 6 365 votes or 56.80 percent,
• Mlungisi Moyo of Zanu PF with 2 827 votes or 25.23 percent,
• Sibongile Maphosa of MDC–N with 1 572 votes or 14.03 percent,
• 4 others with 442 votes or 3.94 percent.

Total 11 206 votes

In the 2013 Elections, (see A History of Zimbabwean Elections) Bulawayo East returned to Parliament:

• Thabitha Khumalo of MDC–T with 4 560 votes or 37.46 percent,
• David Coltart of MDC–N with 4 540 votes or 37.30 percent,
• Kevin Muzvidziwa of Zanu PF with 2 842 votes or 23.35 percent,
• 4 others with 230 votes or 1.90 percent.

Total 12 493 votes

In the 2013 Elections, (see A History of Zimbabwean Elections) Bulawayo South returned to Parliament:

• Eddie Cross of MDC–T with 6 364 votes or 66.40 percent,
• Bafana Andy Dube of Zanu PF with 1 787 votes or 18.65 percent,
• Esnat Bulayani of MDC–N with 1 078 votes or 11.25 percent,
• 4 others with 355 votes or 3.70 percent.

Total 9 584 votes

Women Sixty seats were allocated to women in 2013. They were divided into 6 per province, based on a party's share of votes in the province. The parties produced lists of candidates before the elections. Successful candidates are listed in bold. Only parties which had successful candidates are listed. Vote counts for these seats may vary slightly from the official provincial vote totals due to some multiple candidates votes.

Bulawayo Province

MDC–N	MDC–T	Zanu PF
Jasmine Toffa	Thokozani Khuphe	Eunice Moyo
Monica Ncube	Nicola Watson	Molly Ndlovu
Ellen Shiriyedenga	Gladys Mathe	Fidelia Maphosa
Irene Dube	Dorothy Ndlovu	Ophar Ncube
Ruth Kuphe	Lungile Ncube	Canisia Satiya
Brenda Khumalo	Nomvula Muguni	Mavis Mudoti

2023 Nomination Court

ZEC has released results from the 21 June 2023 nomination court for Bulawayo. ^[9]
Bulawayo Central Constituency

• Tendai Charuka – Zanu PF
• Surrender Kapoikulu – CCC

Bulawayo North Constituency

• Nkosana Mkandla – Zanu PF
• Minehle Thandoyenkosi Gumede – CCC
• Frank Mhlanga - UZA
• Sibonokuhle Khumalo – DOP

Bulawayo South Constituency

• Rajesh Khumari Modi – Zanu PF
• Nicole Jane Watson – CCC
• Admore Gomba – DOP

Cowdray Park Constituency

• Mthuli Ncube – Zanu PF
• Pashor Raphael Sibanda – CCC

The Bulawayo Local Government is Bulawayo Municipality.
See also Bulawayo City Council.

• 2018 Mayor - Tinashe Kambarami
  
• 2023 Mayor - David Coltart

Bulawayo Mayor 2023

On 11 September 2023, David Coltart (Cllr Ward 4) was sworn in as the new Mayor of Bulawayo. He was unopposed. CCC hold all 29 Council seats in Bulawayo. Donaldson Mabutho (Cllr Ward 9) was deputy Mayor. The new mayor and councillors observed a minute’s silence in honour of the late former mayor Joshua Malinga, who died last Saturday (2 September) at the age of 79.

In his maiden speech, Coltart, said 'This city has, I believe, the potential to be the greatest city in Africa', acknowledged “massive obstacles and challenges - water shortages, roads littered with potholes, a boom in illegal vending and low revenues, and allegations of corruption. Also the office of mayor had been denuded of effective power and many of the resources that this city used to have access to, such as car licence fees have been removed from the control of this council by the Central Government, which undermines our ability to run this city effectively.” ^{[10] [11] [12]}

After the swearing in ceremony, some protestors gathered outside and claimed that Chamisa had “sold out” and that “You can’t come from outside Bulawayo and become Mayors and councillors in Bulawayo,” Patricia Tshabala said.

Coltart (Cllr, Ward4) was elected uncontested, with Donald Mabutho, viewed by some as as an outsider, as Deputy Mayor. ^[13]

Mayoral Car, 2023

Stating, We are here to serve and not to be served, David Coltart has said he will not accept a new Mayoral vehicle. There is, however, a deficit in vehicles – Bulawayo has six refuse compactors and the minimum needed is at least 11, five ambulances of which the city needs 30 and there are only four fire engines. As Education minister during the 2009-13 inclusive government, Coltart rejected a government Mercedes Benz opting for a Nissan 4×4 which was much better suited to visiting rural schools.

We need to develop a new culture and that doesn’t take any money; it just takes all of us having the same goal and energy. We must be the change we want to see. ^{[14] [15]}

Corruption

Mayor David Coltart noted a trend playing out in the last 20 years. A time in which service delivery plummeted, while to councillors have used their positions to allocate themselves stands. If I am to sum up my vision for the city, it is to clean up Bulawayo, it has become clear in my mind that one of the reasons why Bulawayo is not working is because of corruption, which has become endemic. Bulawayo is not working because of corruption, it is driving away potential investors. I want our city to have more investments and we can do that by eradicating corruption, which has become endemic. ^[16]

Other information

Attributes

1. Bulawayo has traditionally been the industrial hub of the country with textile, tyre manufacturing, food processing, leather industries, heavy and light engineering concerns, to name a few.
2. It is the home of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair which is the major international shopping window for Zimbabwe.
3. Headquarters of the National Railways of Zimbabwe.

International Recognition of Bulawayo

1. Twice won the United Nations Urban Housing Merit Award for its housing programme.
2. Was one of 12 finalists world wide in the special global competition to honour local initiatives for addressing environmental and development challenges of the 21st Century which culminated in the United Nations Conference on Environmental and Development that was held in Rio de Jameiro in 1992.
3. Won 2nd prize in the 1996 Healthy Cities Competition sponsored by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
4. Partnered the Institute of Housing and Urban Development of the Netherlands in its research on local economic development initiative
5. Member of the International Council for Local Environmental Initiative (ICLEI) and one of the only 9 Cities in Africa selected for the Africa Sustainable Cities Network.
6. Chosen as one of the six implementing local authorities and beneficiary of the Sustainable Urban Resilient Water for Africa: Developing Local Climate Solutions (SURE Water for Africa) a five year project under ICLEI.
7. Twin City with Aberdeen, Scotland.
8. Twin City with the City of Durban, Ethekwini, South Africa.
9. Signed Memorandum of Understanding with Polokwane Municipality in South Africa.
10. Signed Statement of intent with Siping City in China.
11. Nominated as Africa’s first ResponsABLE City by the United Kingdom based on ResponseABILITY and EnvironMENTAL Leadership Alliance, through which environmental challenges were tackled.
12. Came first in the Public Sector Category in the Customer Service Award in 2012, 2013,2014 organised by Contact Centre Association of Zimbabwe.
13. First Municipality in Zimbabwe to launch a Customer Service Call Centre (2012).
14. First municipality in Zimbabwe to develop a Water and Waste Water Master Plan (2012).

The Waterman

In 1992, Arnold Payne pushed a wheelbarrow containing a 210 litre drum filled with water which he had drawn from Zambezi River to Bulawayo, Gwanda and Harare. After successfully reaching Bulawayo from Zambezi, Payne stated that; If one man can manage to ferry the water on a wheelbarrow in a drum 500 kilometres, what can stop a willing and committed government from pumping the water from the same distance.

This act was a symbolic gesture meant to raise the urgency of those in positions of power to spearhead the development of the Matabeleland Zambezi Water Project, for Matabeleland.

Tourism

Bulawayo is itself a tourist centre with historical, game and bird sanctuaries and nature sites. It is also a hub to get to Victoria Falls and {[Hwange National Park]]. Great Zimbabwe is three hours away.

See Top Ten Things To Do in Bulawayo.

Also in and nearby are the;

• Natural History Museum,
• Bulawayo Railway Museum,
• National Art Gallery,
• Amakhosi Cultural Center,
• Khame Ruins,
• Chipangali Wildlife Orphanage and Research Centre,
• Tshabalala National Park,
• Matobo Hills.

See Holiday Inn Bulawayo
See Bulawayo Rainbow Hotel
See N1 Hotel Bulawayo

Healthcare

The United Bulawayo Hospitals, a public hospital network, operates Bulawayo Central Hospital, Richard Morris Hospital, Lady Rodwell Maternity Hospital, and Robbie Gibson Infectious Diseases Hospital.
Mpilo Central Hospital, is in Bulawayo. It has a nursing school and midwifery school on its campus.
Bulawayo is also home to Ingutsheni Hospital, which at 700 beds is the largest psychiatric hospital in Zimbabwe.
Other hospitals include All Saints Children's Hospital, Hillside Hospital, Mater Dei Hospital, the Nervous Disorders Hospital, St Francis Hospital, and Thorngrove Isolation Hospital.
See also Bulawayo Assisted Reproductive Technology Centre.

Media

The Chronicle, a state-owned daily newspaper, and its Sunday edition, The Sunday News, are published in Bulawayo. The Chronicle is the second-oldest newspaper in Zimbabwe, and along with The Herald, published in Harare, it is one of two major state-owned newspapers in the country.
UMthunywa, a state-owned Ndebele-language newspaper, is also published in Bulawayo.
Private online publications like Bulawayo24 News and B-Metro are also based in Bulawayo.

See Bulawayo Agenda

Education

• High Schools Of Zimbabwe.
• List of Primary Schools in Zimbabwe and Contact Numbers.

Bulawayo is home to the National University of Science and Technology, Zimbabwe, (NUST), which was established in Bulawayo in 1991. Solusi University, a Seventh-day Adventist institution established in Bulawayo in 1894, gained university status in 1994.

The Bulawayo Polytechnic offers tertiary training for students who have completed GCE O Level and A Level education. It issues national certificates NC, Diplomas and higher national diplomas HND certificates.

Specialist teacher training colleges:

• Hillside Teachers College for secondary education
• United College of Education for primary education.

Other institutes of technology and vocational colleges;

• Zimbabwe School of Mines,
• Westgate Industrial Training College
• Zimbabwe Theological College.

In addition companies;

• National Railways of Zimbabwe NRZ,
• Zimbabwe Electricity and Supply Authority ZESA
  

offer apprenticeship training for qualifying students who then become certified artisans upon completion of studies.

Climate

Bulawayo's temperatures ranges from 14 °C in winter to 28 °C in summer. Rainfall in the capital averages 575mm annually.

Sports

Bulawayo is home to the Queens Sports Club and Bulawayo Athletic Club, two of the three grounds in Zimbabwe where test match cricket has been played. Bulawayo Golf Club, the first golf club in the city and country was established in 1895. The Matsheumhlope Stream cuts through the 18 hole course in the suburbs.

Bulawayo is home to two large football teams: Highlanders Football Club and Zimbabwe Saints. Other football teams include Bulawayo Chiefs Football Club, Chicken Inn Football Club, and Bulawayo City Football Club. See Bulawayo Chiefs.
See Luveve Stadium.

Bulawayo is home to Hartsfield Rugby grounds where many international Test matches have been played. Hartsfield was developed by Reg Hart.

Other sporting and recreational facilities include:

• Barbourfields Stadium
• Zimbabwe International Trade Fair Grounds
• Kumalo Hockey Stadium
• Ascot Racecourse
• White City Stadium

References