Bulawayo
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Bulawayo is the second largest city in Zimbabwe, after the capital Harare, with a population of 676,000 (UN Humanitarian Co-ordinator, Zimbabwe, 2005), now estimated on 707,000. It is located in Matabeleland, 439km south-west of Harare (), and is the capital of Matabeleland North.
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[edit] General information
The name "Bulawayo" comes from the Sindebele word Kwabulawayo meaning 'place of the persecuted one' or 'place of slaughter'. It is also known as the 'City of Kings', 'Skies' or 'Bluez' or 'Bullers'. The city is on the site of the kraal of Lobengula, king of the Ndebele, who founded the settlement in 1871, about 15km south-east of the present city centre, over the site formerly known as Gibixhegu. In 1881, the king moved the royal settlement further north, to an area roughly corresponding with Bulawayo's modern northern suburbs near modern day Northlea High School. During the 1893 Matabele War the advance of British troops led the king to burn his capital and flee north, and troops occupied the town. The American Scout, Frederick Russell Burnham, witnessed the burning of old Bulawayo and later encountered Lobengula while serving as lead scout for the Shangani Patrol. On 4 November 1894, Leander Starr Jameson declared Bulawayo a settlement under the rule of the British South Africa Company and Cecil John Rhodes ordered that the new settlement be built on the ruins of Lobengula's royal town, which is where the State House stands today. In 1897, the new town of Bulawayo acquired the status of municipality.
During the 1896 Matabele Revolt Bulawayo was besieged by Ndebele forces for several months, and a laager was established there for defensive purposes.
Bulawayo has been regarded as the business capital of Zimbabwe and is home to the National Railways of Zimbabwe because of its strategic position near Botswana and South Africa. It is the nearest large city to Hwange National Park, Matopo National Park and Victoria Falls.
The liberation struggle for the independence of Zimbabwe was started in Bulawayo and today it is home to the strongest opposition to the government of Robert Mugabe. It is a welcoming multicultural city with residents able to speak at least three languages (English, Ndebele, Zulu, Xhosa, Kalanga, Suthu and SeSwati).
Bulawayo became a city in 1943. Before the collapse of Zimbabwe's rail infrastructure, Bulawayo was an important transport hub, providing rail links between Botswana, South Africa and Zambia and promoting the city's development as a major industrial centre. The city still contains much of what remains of Zimbabwe's heavy industry and food processing capability.
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. It is home to two large football teams which are of two ethnic groups, Highlanders and Zimbabwe Saints.
Other facilities include:
- National Museum and Archives of Zimbabwe
- Natural History Museum
- National Gallery, Bulawayo
- National University of Science and Technology, NUST
- Bulawayo Polytechnic College
- Christian Brothers College
- Whitestone School
- Petra Primary School
- Falcon College
- Centenary Park
The majority of the population of Bulawayo belong to the Ndebele ethnic and language group, who descend from 19th century Zulu immigrants and are a minority in Zimbabwe.
Common phrases in Ndebele include Salibonani(Hello), Yebo(Yes), Njani (How are you?).
[edit] Town twinning
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- Bridger, P., House, M., and others, 1973. Encyclopaedia Rhodesia, College Press, Salisbury, Rhodesia.
- Scouting on Two Continents, by Major Frederick Russell Burnham, D.S.O. LC call number: DT775 .B8 1926. (1926)
[edit] External links
- A map of Bulawayo
- List of colonial settlers and traders in Bulawayo, 1895
- More on contemporary Bulawayo
- Bulawayo:detailed history and pictures of its modern state
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| Provinces | |
| Manicaland | Mashonaland Central | Mashonaland East | Mashonaland West | Masvingo | Matabeleland North | Matabeleland South | Midlands | |
| Cities | |
| Bulawayo | Harare | |
