}
Binga District (Binga District) is a
district
A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or county, counties, several municipality, municipa ...
of
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe (), officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country located in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the south-west, Zambia to the north, and ...
in southern Africa. It is located in
Matabeleland North
Matabeleland North is a province in western Zimbabwe. With a population of 749,017 as of the 2012 census, it is the country's second-least populous province, after Matabeleland South, and is the country's least densely populated province. Matab ...
just south of
Kariba Lake, across the lake from
Zambia
Zambia (), officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central, Southern and East Africa, although it is typically referred to as being in Southern Africa at its most central point. Its neighbours are t ...
It lies along the southern
Zambezi Escarpment
Zambezi Escarpment is a name used for the escarpments forming both sides of the rift valley or graben in which lie the middle Zambezi river and Lake Kariba. They are fault scarps, rising 500 to 600 m higher than the lake or river, running from t ...
.
The Tonga people inhabit the area.
Boundaries
Binga District is an area of land bounded by a line drawn from;
*a point on the Zimbabwe-Zambia international boundary at map reference 35KPM098348 on the 1:50 000 Map Sengwa Sound 1628C3, Edition 2, southwards direct to a point on the former
Sengwa River
Sengwa River is a river in Zimbabwe.
As of 2012, this river is now dead.
Rivers of Zimbabwe
Tributaries of the Zambezi River
{{Zimbabwe-river-stub ...
course at map reference 35KPM114145 on the 1:50 000 Map Chiwa 1728A1, Edition 2;
*thence proceeding generally southwards up the Sengwa River to the eastern boundary of Chizarira National Park,
*thence generally southwest-wards along the eastern boundaries of Chizarira National Park and Busi Communal Land and westwards along the south- eastern boundary of Dandanda Communal Land;
*thence generally westwards along the boundaries of Dandanda Communal Land to its westernmost point;
*thence southwards along the westernmost boundary of Dandanda Communal land; thence eastwards along the northern boundary of Lubimbi Communal land up to the northernmost beacon of remainder of Lot 4 Karna Block;
*thence generally south-westwards along the northern-western boundaries of Remainder of Lot 4 Karna Block and Lot 7A Karna Block up the westernmost beacon of Lot 7 A Karna Block;
*thence proceeding generally westwards along the northern boundaries of Lot 8 Karna Block and the Remainder of Karna Block to exclude them up the intersection by the
Shangani River
The Shangani is a river in Zimbabwe that starts near Gweru, Gweru River being one of its main tributaries' and goes through Midlands and Matabeleland North provinces. It empties into the Gwayi River.
The Shangani River was the site of the 4 D ...
;
*thence up the Shangani River to a point at a map reference 35KNK259556 on the 1:50 000 Map Kamativi 1827A3, edition 1,
*thence proceeding generally north-westwards to a point at map reference 35KNK249563 on the 1: 50 000 Map Kamativi 1827A3, Edition 1;
*thence proceeding generally northwards along the western and north-western boundaries of Lubimbi Communal Land to a point at map reference 35KNK315618 on the 1:50 000 Map Kamativi 1827A3, Edition 1;
*thence generally north-westwards along the south-western and western boundaries of Manjolo Communal Land to the southern boundary of Kavira Forest Land,
*thence westwards along the southern boundary of Kavira Forest Land to the Gwayi River,
*thence generally northwards down the Gwayi River to the Zimbabwe-Zambia international boundary;
*thence north-eastwards along the Zimbabwe- Zambia international boundary to the starting point.
Administrative divisions, constituencies and people
There are twenty-one wards in the district, which is divided into two parliamentary constituencies: Binga North Constituency with twelve wards
and South Binga Constituency with nine wards.
The separate constituencies were created in 2008.
Joel Gabuza is MP for Binga South while Prince Dubeko Sibanda presides over Binga North.
Among the areas in Binga North Constituency are: Chizarira, Siabuwa, Cheete, Siansundu, Siantula, Mujere and Manjolo.
Settlements
The town of
Binga is the largest settlement. It lies on the south eastern shore of
Lake Kariba
Lake Kariba is the world's largest artificial lake and reservoir by volume. It lies upstream from the Indian Ocean, along the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe. Lake Kariba was filled between 1958 and 1963 following the completion of the Karib ...
. Most of it was constructed to rehouse the
BaTonga people whose homeland was flooded by the creation of the Kariba
reservoir in the late 1950s. The
Chibwatatata Hot Springs lie near the town at what is known as Rest Camp area. It is a prime tourist area and was previously a shrine for local Tonga people under the leadership of one Maalila. Maalila was possessed by mpande (muzimu wamvula). He led rainmaking ceremonies at the hot springs. There are also settlements under the following areas and chiefs:
Economy and development
Binga District is a rural district that is significantly underdeveloped, with only gravel roads, which are car hostile especially during the rainy season. It is also one of the most sparsely populated districts of the country.
Binga District is famous for its growing of
cannabis
''Cannabis'' () is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cannabaceae. The number of species within the genus is disputed. Three species may be recognized: '' Cannabis sativa'', '' C. indica'', and '' C. ruderalis''. Alternative ...
, known locally as ''dagga'' or ''mbanje''. The consumption of cannabis in the Binga District has been described as traditional since pre-colonial times, and is considered by people from without to be an integral part of the
Tonga
Tonga (, ; ), officially the Kingdom of Tonga ( to, Puleʻanga Fakatuʻi ʻo Tonga), is a Polynesian country and archipelago. The country has 171 islands – of which 45 are inhabited. Its total surface area is about , scattered over in ...
culture. However, it must be pointed out that consumption of cannabis is often considered a devious pursuit especially, since 1955, in light of federal laws to control the importation, exportation, production, possession, sale, distribution and use of dangerous drugs, despite its use as a traditional medicine. There is a wrong impression among people from the rest of Zimbabwe that people from Binga are legally entitled to plant, harvest, process and smoke cannabis freely.
;Stereotypes against Tonga people
Recently, the ministry of primary and secondary education of Zimbabwe has been caught offside following the publication of a secondary level textbooks for the new subject of Total Heritage Studies. It was immediately gathered that some of the contents was seen as reinforcing stereotypes held against Tonga people. For instance, the authors Mashaar S and BB Matseketsa plagiarized Tongan Kingdom courtship and passed it as Zimbabwe Tonga culture without verification and in another section they insinuate that Tonga culture accepts incest as a marriage enhancing activity. All this had been disputed by Tonga people and many have seen the new subject and content as carelessly written or is meant promote Shona supremacy. While the issue is still undergoing debate, indications are that Tonga people will petition the Permanent Secretary in the ministry of education for the retraction of the approved textbook and allowing native Tonga input.
Notes and references
{{authority control
Districts of Matabeleland North Province
Parliamentary constituencies in Zimbabwe