Gutu

Gutu
District

Districts of Masvingo Province

Masvingo constituency seats for the 2008, showing the division of Chivi (District)
Country Zimbabwe
Province Masvingo
District Gutu
Established late 19th century
Population (2002)
 • Total 198 000
 • Density 22.08/km2 (57.2/sq mi)
  estimate (UN)
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+1)

Gutu is the third largest district in Masvingo Province, southern Zimbabwe, after Chiredzi and Mwenezi. It is the northernmost district in the province. The name "Gutu" is historically reported to have emerged from "Chinomukutu wemiseve" – meaning, "the one with a load of arrows". This is according to oral historical folklore of the "Gumbo" clan who are said to have taken over the area from the "Shiri" clan through killing them by poisoning the fruit trees in the "Gona" area. Mupandawana is the largest district service centre. It was designated as a "growth point" during the early years of independent Zimbabwe together with such places as Gokwe in the Midlands Province and Juru in Mashonaland East province. Mpandawana gained town status in April 2014.

It was home to the late Dr Oliver Munyaradzi, Simon Muzenda, former vice president of Zimbabwe as well as Lt. Gen. (Rtd.) Vitalis Zvinavashe (born September 27, 1943 in Gutu – died March 11, 2009) who was a Commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces and politician. The late Air Vice Marshal Josiah Tungamirai (8 October 1948 – 25 August 2005 was also a native of Gutu. Gutu Mission Hospital found in the district, is one of a numbers of center for HIV/AIDS treatment in the province.[1] The population is mostly the Karanga, a Shona sub-tribe. It is one of a few districts in the province where the standard of living is above average. Gutu Rural District council is in charge of the day-to-day running of the district.

Geography

Climatically, the area falls under Natural Region III. Natural Regions (NRs) in Zimbabwe's context are areas delineated on the basis of soil type, rainfall and other climatic factors.[2] It is one of a few districts in the country that suffers from over-population. Its population density of 22.08 per square kilometer is among the highest in the country.[3] Gutu district center had a population of 10-12000 in 1989. Like other districts in the country, medical facilities in the district suffer from shortage of manpower.[4]

Mpandawana Growth Point, a famous business center in Zimbabwe, is found in the district.[5] The road that connects Chivhu and Chiredzi makes the transport network to Harare quite viable

Government and politics

General elections 2008

The district was divided into four parts by the electoral commission for the general elections of 2008. Candidates from both the MDC and ZANU-PF and independents will compete for the four constituency seats available and winner will go one to represent the district in Zimbabwe's new House of Assembly.

Matuke Lovemore (Zanu-PF), and Chirume Oliver (MDC Tsvangirai) will contest the Gutu central seat while in Gutu east, Chikwama Bertha (Zanu-PF), Revai Tichaona (Independent), Makamure Ramson (MDC Tsvangirai) will fight it out. In Gutu north, the candidates are Maramwidze Edmore (MDC Tsvangirai), and the late Provincial hero Machinya Frank (Zanu-PF) while Mandevu Tarirai (Zanu-PF), and Maguma Stanley (MDC Tsvangirai) are vying for the Gutu west seat.

The results came as follows

Of the five seats, four seats were won by MDC Tsvangirai, and one went to Zanu PF.

Education and Schools

Gutu district has some of Masvingo province's finest private/church boarding schools. Among these schools are the following: High Schools

Secondary Schools

Primary Schools

Tertiary Colleges

Clinics and Hospitals

Notable Families

•Mutsengi

Notable Persons/Residents

References

  1. ↑ AIDS treatment centers (accessed 18 February 2008)
  2. ↑ CSO, 1997, 144
  3. ↑ Land Use in Gutu
  4. ↑ Zimbabwe Brain Drain (accessed 18 February 2008)
  5. ↑ Gutu RDC offered 1billion (accessed 18 February 2008)

Coordinates: 19°39′S 31°10′E / 19.650°S 31.167°E