Mbare

Population / Government

In the Zimbabwe 1985 Parliamentary Election, Harare - (the suburb, now Mbare) returned to Parliament:

• Bernard Thomas Chidzero of Zanu PF - 39 180 votes.
• Nevison Chakaipa Mukanganga Nyashanu of PF-ZAPU - 2 625 votes.
• Ferris Simon Tandari Mushonga of UANC - 2 172 votes.
• Mabaudi Wiseman Zengeni of ZANU - 268 votes.
• James Clever Mavunga Shereni of NFZ - 50 votes.
• Abednigo Munyamana Gwavu of NDU - 39 votes.

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

• Edward Munatsireyi Pswarayi of Zanu PF - 31 112 votes.
• Robert Manuel Marowa of UANC - 2 765 votes.
• Denga Haven Hunda of PF-ZAPU - 902 votes.
• Idah Gaga Mazani of ZANU - 254 votes
• Rosten Gore of NDU - 37 votes.

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

• Tony Gara of Zanu PF with 12 522 votes,
• Biston David of ZUM with 4 420 votes,
• Tawinei Chitongo of NDU with 197 votes.

Turnout - 17 880 votes or 51.76 %

Mbare West returned"

• Ephraim Masawi of Zanu PF with 8 315 votes,
• Nesbert Mutengezanwa of ZUM with 4 415 votes,
• Robert Marowa of UANC with 339 votes.

Turnout - 13 493 votes or 37.36 %

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

• Tichaona Jephta Munyanyi of MDC with 10 754 votes,
• Tony Gara of Zanu PF with 4 265 votes,
• Robert Godfrey Musasiwa, Independent, with 232 votes,
• Stephen Guvira of ZUD with 109 votes.

Mbare West returned:

• Donemore Sasi Makuvaza of MDC with 13 118 votes,
• Tendai Savanhu of Zanu PF with 3 078 votes,
• Agnes Muremberi, Independent, with 312 votes,
• Verna Chitumba of UP with 88 votes.

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

• Tendai Savanhu of Zanu PF with 14 764 votes or 55.08 percent,
• Eric Knight of MDC–T with 10 932 votes or 40.79 percent,
• Jabulani Charlie of MDC–N with 1 041 votes or 3.88 percent,
• 1 other with 66 votes or 0.25 percent.

Total 26 803 votes

See Mbare High School.
See George Stark High School.

Economy

It is believed that Mbare's economy runs into millions of dollars that are exchanged in the vegetable market, Mbare Musika.^[3] This is where most households and vendors buy fruits and vegetables for home use and for commercial purposes respectively. Additionally, there is Mupedzanhamo Market (loosely translated 'end poverty'), where one can buy cheap clothes for as little as a dollar. All these activities bring in money to the suburb. An estimated 5 000 people are said to visit Mupedzanhamo daily.^[4]

Infrastructure

Siyaso

Siyaso in the Magaba area is somewhat the industrial hub of Mbare. The market area-cum industry is made up of many indigenous traders and manufacturers of various products. It is where all sorts of products are manufactured and sold; building material, car parts, farming equipment, household goods, timber, among others. The area is usually packed by customers who will be buying the seemingly affordable products of various types. The area has grwon to be one of the biggest informal markets in Zimbabwe where customers are presented with a wide range of locally produced products.^[5]

Mupedzanhamo

Mupedzanhamo market provides space for hundreds of indigenous textile retailers and wholesalers to sell their products under one roof. The place is rather known for providing locals with affordable second-hand clothes, that are usually imported from Mozambique. The informal nature of the trading done at the place has earned at a number of names such as "Kotamai Botique" and "Pedigars". Thousands of locals who flock the place every day are welcomed by loud voices of traders announcing their products and the respective prices in a quest to attract more buyers.

Matapi Flats

Matapi flats are home to thousands of residents and are one of the biggest residential areas Zimbabwe. The flats are also one of the oldest urban residential settlements in the country. The flats are known for their visible dilapidated state, overcrowded houses and poor sanitation which greets visitors on the corner of every street. However, behind this sheet of seemingly miserable environment, the Matapi community is known for other positive attributes such as music creativity, art and success in the sporting arena.

Matapi Flats Gutted By Fire In July 2018

On 25 July 2018, Major newspapers reported that a part of Matapi flats had been gutted by fire caused by a candle that was left in one of the blocks.

Rufaro Stadium

Rufaro Stadium is the second biggest home of football in Zimbabwe after the National Sports Stadium. The 35 000 seater stadium is home to Dynamos Football Club which is one of the most successful football clubs in the country. The Stadium hosts various of the local football games in the Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League as well as other international games. Residents of Mbare are credited for adding the vibe to most of local and international matches which take place at the stadium with their exciting music and entertaining dances.

In November 2022, Dynamos Football Club was critical of the state of Rufaro Stadium in Mbare. An agreement between Harare City Council and Sakunda Holdings had a deal to refurbish Rufaro Stadium, however the company withdrew from the partnership due to “untruthful and malicious allegations” emanating from the local authority. ^[6]

In March 2023, pictures were shown of the refurbishment of Rufaro Stadium in Mbare by Harare City Council (HCC). It is the second biggest stadium and is generally regarded as Zimbabwe‘s home of football. ^[7]

Mbare Musika

The Musika side of Mbare is a busy market which sell mainly vegetable and other consumables. place has so much hype and activity because it is where local vegetable vendors buy their products everyday at wholesale prices and sell them in various parts of the city. The place also attracts customers from all corners of the country due to the affordability of products especially agricultural products which are supplied in bulk by farmers. They place is also known for producing fresh agricultural products which come usually every morning from various farming areas of the country.

Mbare Musika Terminus

The terminus connects the city to all the parts of the country. It has bus ranks which connect Harare with the remainder of the country's provinces. Mbare Musika bus terminus has also accumulated fame over the years because it is the entry point into Harare; where most people from the rural divide of the country pass through on their way to other parts of the Harare in particular and Zimbabwe in general.

Related Profiles You Might Want to See

Harare Rufaro Stadium National Sports Stadium Dynamos Football Club Zimbabwe Mashonaland Central Province

Mai Musodzi Hall

It is a Mbare Community Hall named after Mai Musodzi (in her memory) whose real name was Elizabeth Maria Musodzi Ayema who was Mbuya Nehanda's niece. She was dubbed Amayi in Mbare due to her outstanding contribution in supporting the plight of women and nationalist politics in the country, particularly in the township. She died in her cottage on 21 July 1952 and was buried at Pioneer Cemetery. She was married to a British South African Police, Frank Kashimbo Ayema.^[8]

Stodart Hall

It is the largest community hall in Mbare. During the colonial era, it was used as a place where nationalist leaders convened as the township was also a hotbed of politics more or less like Highfield. Whenever the Zimbabwe African National Union Patriotic Front (ZANU PF) accords a person a national hero status, his or her body is taken to the hall en route to the National Heroes Acre. The hall is now used for social events such as gigs and several other competitions.

Pioneer Cemetery

Pioneer Cemetery was established as a burial place for Europeans during the colonial era. There was however a section where Africans were buried. It is now however a closed cemetery. It was graded as an A grade cemetery. Some heroes of the First World War and the Second World War who later came to Rhodesia present day Zimbabwe were also buried at the cemetery. ^[9] The cemetery is now dilapidated.

Mbare biogas digester

The City of Harare has an incomplete biogas digester plant for the conversion of waste to energy situated in Mbare. This project was started around 2015 and US$500 000 was reportedly sunk into it with the support of the European Union, and implemented by a company named Synlak (Pvt) Limited. The contracted company was paid for the incomplete works. The City of Harare has not done anything substantial to ensure the completion and functioning of the Mbare Biogas digester despite the huge investment in the project. It is now lying idle and completely abandoned. The biogas digester would have gone a long way in reducing the amount of solid waste that required to be transferred to Pomona Dumpsite. The Environmental Management Agency (EMA) has been pushing the City of Harare to improve its management of the Pomona Dumpsite as on several occasions, the council seemed to have neglected the disposal landfill.

According to a solid waste characterization report done by the City of Harare with financial support of the German International Development (GIZ), solid waste must be collected weekly by the City of Harare. The report says that refuse compactors available are completely depreciated due to vehicles being out of service. This has led the City of Harare to collect garbage fortnightly in some suburbs while other communities have gone for longer periods without collecting garbage, (COH, 2020). During the data collection, the research established that 60 percent of residents pointed out that refuse collection was so irregular that they were not sure how often it should occur. Garbage remains uncollected in most suburbs, and Geogenix BV would have endeared itself to the ratepayers if it had come in and invested in the refuse collection first before taking control of the Pomona Dumpsite. To residents, uncollected garbage is the real challenge that requires urgent intervention, and not the waste to energy intervention. ^[10]

Gallery

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  Mbare Musika Bus Terminus

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  Vendors Trading at Mbare Musika

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  Rufaro Stadium

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  Matapi Flats

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  People Buying Second Hand Clothes at Mupedzanhamo

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  Pioneer Cemetry in Mbare

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  Siyaso Market

Some Notable Individuals to Emerge from Mbare

1. Mukadota
2. George Shaya
3. Louis Mhlanga
4. Herbert Murerwa
5. Killer T
6. Tendai Savanhu
7. Murape Murape
8. Webster Shamu
9. Christopher Mutsvangwa
10. Seh Calaz
11. Soul Jah Luv

References