BULAWAYO City fathers have accused the government of neglecting local heroes and heroines when it comes to the renaming of the city’s roads to honour their contributions to the country.
They raised objections after a foundation named after the Late Father Zimbabwe Joshua Nkomo requested that Bulawayo’s George Avenue be named after former Mozambican president Joachim Chissano.
The Friends of Joshua Nkomo Trust wrote to the Local Government ministry late last year requesting that the City of Bulawayo be directed to honour Chissano with a street named after him.
“This would serve as a lasting gesture to regional unity, a testament to the enduring bonds between Zimbabwe and Mozambique and a symbolic bridge of friendship,” a letter from the ministry directed to Bulawayo town clerk Christopher Dube read in part.
“Renaming of a road will also reflect the City of Bulawayo’s commitment to promoting African unity, and cooperation.
“In the meantime, you may be considering this proposal while awaiting the ministry’s further communication.”
Chissano served as Mozambique’s second president from 1986 to 2005.
The Names Alterations Act Chapter 10:14 subsection (1) states that the Minister could only alter the name of a street after consultation with the person in whom the ownership or control of the street was vested.
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City fathers said the letter from the ministry was in line with the provisions of the Act.
“It was proposed that George Avenue be named after the former Mozambican president,” the minutes read.
“The matter was considered and councillor Felix Madzana supported the recommendation.”
However, other councillors raised objections, arguing that local heroes and heroines had not been recognized in the city with roads named after them.
Zapu in 2019 wrote to the council requesting that the local authority name Fife Street in the central business district after the late liberation icon.
To date, no road has been named after him.
Dabengwa died in Nairobi, Kenya on his way to Zimbabwe from India where he had gone for medical treatment for a liver ailment.
He was 79.
“Most of the roads and institutions were named after heroes and heroines coming from outside the city and region,” the minutes read.
“Councillor Ntando Ndlovu concurred. Cowdray Park streets had no names,” the minutes said.
“He wanted to know when the sub committee would sit to consider street names for Cowdray Park and other areas.
“Councillor Ashton Mhlanga noted that the sub committee had not sat since 2023. He encouraged the Sub-Committee to sit and consider names for various streets in the City and other institutions.”
A number of Bulawayo streets are named after the country’s liberation heroes such as Herbert Chitepo, Leopold Takawira, Jason Moyo and Josiah Tongogara.
A few years ago, council renamed Main Street in honour of the late Father Zimbabwe and Zapu leader, Joshua Nkomo.
The government also recognised Nkomo’s contributions by naming the Bulawayo International Airport after him and also mounting a statue in the city centre.
