Kwekwe

A historic building in Kwekwe is Phoenix House. This was built in 1898 for the manager of the Globe and Phoenix Mine.
Another is Gaika House, built in 1895 on top of the highest point in the area.
See also The Paper House.

See Government officials in Kwekwe say residents should not panic following a widely circulating message claiming the city has been placed under a three-week lockdown. May 2021. [[1]]

Government

Kwekwe Senate includes Kwekwe Central, Mbizo, Silobela, Redcliff, and Zhombe).

Central Government

In the Zimbabwe 1985 Parliamentary Election, Kwekwe East returned to Parliament:

• Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa of Zanu PF - 37 017 votes.
• Elias Hananda of PF-ZAPU - 4 733 votes.
• Kenneth Kumbirayi Kaparepare of UANC - 1 313 votes.

In the Zimbabwe 1985 Parliamentary Election, Kwekwe West returned to Parliament: KWEKWE WEST

• Josiah Tavagwisa Chinyati of Zanu PF - 18 600 votes.
• Stephen Kenneth Sesulelo Vuma of PF-ZAPU - 17 257 votes.
• Luckson Chando Mugara of UANC - 766 votes.
• Samuel Maara of ZANU - 150 votes.

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

• Emmerson Mnangagwa of Zanu PF with 23 898 votes,
• Sylvester Chibanda of ZUM with 7 094 votes.

Turnout - 32 428 voters or 78.97 %

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

• Blessing Chebundo of MDC with 15 388 votes,
• Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa of Zanu PF with 8 352 votes,
• Milton Chinamasa, Independent, with 227 votes,
• Cuthbert Mwenye Chidava of UP with 176 votes.

In the 2022 By-Elections, (see Zimbabwe By-elections (March_2022)) Kwekwe Central returned to Parliament:

• Judith Tobaiwa of Citizens' Coalition for Change with 6 639 votes,
• John Mapurazi of Zanu PF with 2 883 votes,
• Lenin Tafadzwa Dzingire of United Zimbabwe Alliance with 165 votes,
• Mbekezeli Ndlovu of MDC Alliance with 145 votes.

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

• Masango Matambanadzo of Zanu PF with 6 051 votes or 49.12 percent,
• Blessing Chebundo of MDC-T with 5 760 votes or 46.76 percent,
• Cathrine Bobo of MDC with 508 votes or 4.12 percent,

Total 12 319 votes

Local Government

Mayors

Until 2008 - Stanford Bonyongwa.
2008 to 2013 - Shadreck Tobaiwa, Mayor.
2014 Mayor Matenda Madzoke.
2018 to 2021 - Angeline Kasipo Mayor, Melody Chingarande deputy Mayor.
2018 - Shadreck Tobaiwa, Deputy Mayor.
2021 - Future Titora Mayor, Pikurai Msipa deputy Mayor.
2023 - Henry Madzorera, Mayor, Melody Chingarande, deputy Mayor.

2021 Mayor Elected

In August 2021, MDC-T councillor for Ward 2 in Kwekwe Future Titora was elected the new mayor of Kwekwe, while Ward 3 Pikurai Msipa (MDC Alliance) was elected deputy mayor. This was after a rerun caused by a deadlock after she received the same number of votes as MDC Alliance Ward 7 councillor Charles Juta.

The mayoral and deputy mayor posts fell vacant following the recall of Angeline Kasipo (Ward 10) and Melody Chingarande (Ward 5) respectively, by the MDC T, together with Ward 12 councillor Washington Moyo.

Titora, Kwekwe`s second successive female mayor, appealed to fellow councillors prioritise service delivery, desist from “bickering” and “spearhead development within the city’. ^[2]

2023 Mayor Elected

Kwekwe Cllrs elected Henry Madzorera (Cllr, Ward 10 and former Health Minister) unopposed, as Mayor, in September 2023. His elected deputy was Melody Chingarande, also elected uncontested. CCC has 16 out of 18 councillors in Kwekwe. ^{[3] [4]}

Mayor's Vehicle

The Kwekwe Mayor’s office office has been operating without an official vehicle. Stanford Bonyongwa, Mayor until 2008, was the last Mayor to have an official vehicle. Since then, the Kwekwe Mayors have used pool cars.

The 2014 Mayor Matenda Madzoke refused an official vehicle and opted to cycle to work. He insisting money for the mayoral vehicle must be channeled to service delivery. His successor Angeline Kasipo who was to be recalled from council in 2021 by the MDC but was re-elected in 2022 under the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) also did not have an official vehicle.

Silas Mukaro, the city’s finance committee chairperson, confirmed buying vehicles for management. Poor service delivery continues in Kwekwe amid revelations Kwekwe city management is exhausting funds on top of the range vehicles. Council also purchased four utility vehicles in 2022, and six skip bins. Conditions of service vehicles for heads of departments have been purchased. Outstanding is the Town Clerk’s Conditions of service vehicle. ^[5]

Population

It is home to about 99 149 people.

See Goldridge College.
See Rutendo Government Secondary School.
See Shungu High School.
See Zesa Secondary School.
See Kwekwe Polytechnic College.

Events

Recycling 2021

In August 2021, it was reported that some families in Kwekwe were earning a ‘decent’ living through recyclable materials from dumps. Some at Amaveni dumpsite said they made an average of US$400 a month. Waste pickers there are collecting select materials such as scrap metal, food waste, paper, and plastic from the rest of unwanted waste then sell to it.

Companies then, reportedly from as far as Harare, buy it crush or bail it, and export it. One waste picker claimed plastic he heaped amounted to 6 tons. The waste pickers complained about;

• lack of personal protective equipment and running water at the site.
• loss of raw materials to fires that burn at the dumpsite.
• being duped by middlemen who underpaid for the raw materials.

^[6]

Violence, Political Rally, Kwekwe, 28 February 2022.

Schoolroom collapse

A classroom block collapsed into a mine shaft at the Globe and Phoenix Primary school in Kwekwe CBD. It is said at least seven students were injured in March 2023. The school was forced to decommission some of its classroom blocks after the school went under siege from illegal gold panners who were randomly digging within its premises in 2022. ^[7]

2023 Councillors

Kwekwe Councillors were sworn in 7 September 2023 after the the 23-24 August 2023 elections, by Town Clerk Dr Lucia Mnkandla. Of the eighteen Councillors,fifeteen are from the CCC. Five are female, including four from the female proportional quota. Two are below the age of 30. Former Health Minister and Ward 10 Councillor Dr Henry Madzorera is likely to be elected mayor. ^[8]

References