Masvingo Province
| Masvingo Province | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | Masvingo |
| Range | Masvingo Province |
Masvingo Province is one of the ten Zimbabwe Provinces. It covers mainly the south-eastern parts of the country and its administrative capital is Masvingo city. The province was previously known as Victoria Province in Rhodesia.
History
Masvingo Province has a lot of history dating back to the pre-colonial period. In the pre-colonial period, Masvingo province was the centre of activity with the Great Zimbabwe State being headquartered there. The state had a considerable population which was concentrated in the then Zimbabwean plateau spreading to as far as present day Mashonaland Central. It was also the centre of trade with Portuguese traders visiting the area in search of gold, iron and copper. At colonisation, Masvingo was used as the highway from South Africa to Salisbury. Fort Victoria was one of the first white settlements established by the Pioneer Column in the country as a link between Salisbury and Fort Tuli (on the Botswana border).
Population
The province had an overall population of 1 485 090. The male population stood at 697 992 while females comprised 787 098 (figures as at 2012).[1]
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 [2]
Josiah Hungwe served as Minister of State (Provincial Governor) for Masvingo Province for some time until 2011 when he was removed under allegations of leaking secrets to the U.S. Embassy. [3] alongside his wife and ex-Labour Minister July Moyo.
See High Schools Of Zimbabwe.
See Great Zimbabwe University.
See Reformed Church University.
Towns and Districts
Masvingo Province has seven districts:
Government
Nomination Court 2023
The ZEC list of candidates for the August 2023 elections for Masvingo Province have been released. [4]
Main Attractions
Masvingo Province has a number of recreational attractions. These include the Great Zimbabwe located south-east of Masvingo. The monuments are the second largest stone settlement in Africa. The site was declared a cultural heritage site by the United Nations Education and Scientific Organisation (UNESCO). The site is of great historical significance to the country in the sense that it is where the name Zimbabwe came from. Besides the Great Zimbabwe, there is also the Gonarezhou National Park, which has a variety of wildlife and vegetation and is one of the biggest game parks in the country. Lake Mutirikwi and Mutirikwi Recreational Park located a few miles away from the Great Zimbabwe is also another major attraction which offers a number of recreational facilities such as fishing and game viewing.
In 2021, the Masvingo Provincial Police Spokesperson was Inspector Kudakwashe Dhewa.
References
- ↑ , Census Results Masvingo,ZimStat, published:2012,retrieved:7 Apr 2015"
- ↑ ZEC Releases Voter Population Figures To Determine Areas That Need To Be Divided, Pindula, Published: 17 October 2022, Retrieved: 17 October 2022
- ↑ [1], ,Published:23/09/2011, Retrieved: 22 July 2016
- ↑ [Government Gazette Extraordinary, Vol. CI, No. 64 30th June, 2023], Government Gazette Extraordinary Vol. CI, No. 64 30th June, 2023, Published: 30 June 2023, Retrieved: 30 June 2023
