Midlands is a
province
A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''Roman province, provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire ...
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 Mozam ...
. It has an area of and a population of 1,614,941 (2012). It is home to various peoples. Located at a central point in the country, it contains speakers of
Shona
Shona often refers to:
* Shona people, a Southern African people
* Shona language, a Bantu language spoken by Shona people today
Shona may also refer to:
* ''Shona'' (album), 1994 album by New Zealand singer Shona Laing
* Shona (given name)
* S ...
,
Ndebele
Ndebele may refer to:
*Southern Ndebele people, located in South Africa
*Northern Ndebele people, located in Zimbabwe and Botswana
Languages
* Southern Ndebele language, the language of the South Ndebele
*Northern Ndebele language
Northern ...
,
Tswana
Tswana may refer to:
* Tswana people, the Bantu speaking people in Botswana, South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and other Southern Africa regions
* Tswana language, the language spoken by the (Ba)Tswana people
* Bophuthatswana, the former ba ...
,
Sotho Sotho may refer to:
*Sotho people (or ''Basotho''), an African ethnic group principally resident in South Africa, Lesotho and southern Botswana
* Sotho language (''Sesotho'' or ''Southern Sotho''), a Bantu language spoken in southern Africa, an off ...
and
Chewa
Chewa may refer to:
*the Chewa people
*the Chewa language
Chewa (also known as Nyanja, ) is a Bantu language spoken in much of Southern, Southeast and East Africa, namely the countries of Malawi , where it is an official language, and Mozambiq ...
, as well as of various other languages.
Gweru
Gweru is a city in central Zimbabwe. Near the geographical centre of the country. It is on the centre of Midlands Province. Originally an area known to the Northern Ndebele people, Ndebele as "The Steep Place" because of the Gweru River's high ...
, the third-largest city in Zimbabwe, is the capital of the province.
Midlands Province contains
Kwekwe
Kwekwe ( ), known until 1983 as Que Que, is a city in the Midlands province of central Zimbabwe. The city has a population of 119,863 within the city limits, as of the 2022 census, making it the 7th-largest city in Zimbabwe and the second-most p ...
, a city of considerable mining and manufacturing industries, in which also the
Sable Chemicals Trust
The sable (''Martes zibellina'') is a species of marten, a small omnivorous mammal primarily inhabiting the forest environments of Russia, from the Ural Mountains throughout Siberia, and northern Mongolia. Its habitat also borders eastern Kaza ...
maintains a presence.
Geography
Districts
Midlands Provinces is divided into eight districts:
*
Chirumhanzu
*
Gokwe North
*
Gokwe South
*
Gweru
Gweru is a city in central Zimbabwe. Near the geographical centre of the country. It is on the centre of Midlands Province. Originally an area known to the Northern Ndebele people, Ndebele as "The Steep Place" because of the Gweru River's high ...
*
Kwekwe
Kwekwe ( ), known until 1983 as Que Que, is a city in the Midlands province of central Zimbabwe. The city has a population of 119,863 within the city limits, as of the 2022 census, making it the 7th-largest city in Zimbabwe and the second-most p ...
*
Mberengwa
Mberengwa is a district in Midlands province in Zimbabwe. The district is now divided into sub-districts: Mberengwa North, East, West and South. It is bounded by Gwanda in Mberengwa west, and by Zvishavane in its northern zone, to the south it st ...
*
Shurugwi
Shurugwi, formerly Selukwe, is a small town and administrative centre in Midlands Province, southern Zimbabwe, located about 350 km (220 miles) south of Harare, with a population of 22,900 according to the 2022 census. The town was establ ...
*
Zvishavane
Zvishavane (known until 1982 as Shabani) is a mining town in Midlands Province, Zimbabwe. Surrounded by low hills, it lies west of Masvingo, on the main Bulawayo-Masvingo road. Other roads lead from Zvishavane to Gweru, north, and Mberengwa, ...
Local government
The Provincial Administrator oversees all eight districts in the province, each district having its own district administrator. District Administrators work with local authorities in their respective districts.
Local authorities have their own Chairmen (mayors for municipalities). These urban councils were established in accordance with the Zimbabwe Urban Councils Act, Chapter 29.15 while rural district councils were created in terms of the Zimbabwe Rural District Councils Act, Chapter 29.13
[Ministries of Local Government Internationa]
Rural District Councils Act.
MLGI, Resources, Retrieved 1 March 2016
Of the eight districts,
Gokwe South,
Gweru
Gweru is a city in central Zimbabwe. Near the geographical centre of the country. It is on the centre of Midlands Province. Originally an area known to the Northern Ndebele people, Ndebele as "The Steep Place" because of the Gweru River's high ...
,
Kwekwe
Kwekwe ( ), known until 1983 as Que Que, is a city in the Midlands province of central Zimbabwe. The city has a population of 119,863 within the city limits, as of the 2022 census, making it the 7th-largest city in Zimbabwe and the second-most p ...
,
Shurugwi
Shurugwi, formerly Selukwe, is a small town and administrative centre in Midlands Province, southern Zimbabwe, located about 350 km (220 miles) south of Harare, with a population of 22,900 according to the 2022 census. The town was establ ...
and
Zvishavane
Zvishavane (known until 1982 as Shabani) is a mining town in Midlands Province, Zimbabwe. Surrounded by low hills, it lies west of Masvingo, on the main Bulawayo-Masvingo road. Other roads lead from Zvishavane to Gweru, north, and Mberengwa, ...
have two local government administrative authorities; the Urban District Council (town council or municipality) and the Rural District Council.
Chirumhanzu,
Gokwe North and
Mberengwa
Mberengwa is a district in Midlands province in Zimbabwe. The district is now divided into sub-districts: Mberengwa North, East, West and South. It is bounded by Gwanda in Mberengwa west, and by Zvishavane in its northern zone, to the south it st ...
districts have no urban councils.
Mberengwa's main economic activities are mostly concentrated at Mataga growth point.
Rural councils
The 8 rural district councils in all 8 subdivisions;
*
Gokwe North RDC
Gokwe North Rural District Councils is a local government organ administering Gokwe North District.
There are eight Rural District Councils in the Midlands Province of Zimbabwe all established in terms of the Zimbabwe Rural District Councils ...
in
Gokwe North
*
Gokwe South RDC
Gokwe South Rural District Council is the rural district local authority in Gokwe South District. Gokwe South District has two local government arms, Gokwe Town Council created under the Zimbabwe Urban Councils Act, Chapter 29.15 administering ...
in
Gokwe South
*
Mberengwa RDC
Mberengwa Rural District Council is the rural district local authority over Mberengwa District.
It is one of the 8 rural district councils in the Midlands Province, established in terms of the Zimbabwe Rural District Councils Act; Chapter 29. ...
in
Mberengwa
Mberengwa is a district in Midlands province in Zimbabwe. The district is now divided into sub-districts: Mberengwa North, East, West and South. It is bounded by Gwanda in Mberengwa west, and by Zvishavane in its northern zone, to the south it st ...
*
Runde RDC
Runde Rural District Council is Zvishavane Rural District local government arm taking care of the rural district while Zvishavane Town Council administers the urban district.
Zvishavane District has two local government arms, Zvishavane Town Cou ...
in
Zvishavane
Zvishavane (known until 1982 as Shabani) is a mining town in Midlands Province, Zimbabwe. Surrounded by low hills, it lies west of Masvingo, on the main Bulawayo-Masvingo road. Other roads lead from Zvishavane to Gweru, north, and Mberengwa, ...
*
Tongogara RDC
Tongogara Rural District Council is a local government organ administering Shurugwi District Rural District. There are two local government arms, Shurugwi Town Council created under the Zimbabwe Urban Councils Act, Chapter 29.15 administering Shu ...
in
Shurungwi
*
Takawira RDC
Takawira Rural District Council is rural local authority created under the Rural District Councils Act Chapter 29.13 as provided by the constitution. It is bestored with wide ranging administrative and legislative powers
over their respective juri ...
in
Chirumhanzu
*
Vungu RDC
Vungu Rural District Council is a local government arm overseeing the Gweru Rural District. It was created in terms of the Zimbabwe Rural District Councils Act; Chapter 29.13. Its capital is Gweru in Zimbabwe.
Vungu Rural District Council is lit ...
in
Gweru
Gweru is a city in central Zimbabwe. Near the geographical centre of the country. It is on the centre of Midlands Province. Originally an area known to the Northern Ndebele people, Ndebele as "The Steep Place" because of the Gweru River's high ...
*
Zibagwe RDC
Zibagwe Rural District Council is a rural local government arm in Kwekwe District created under the Rural District Councils Act: Chapter 20.13. It was formed from the amalgamation of the former Kwekwe Rural Council and the Mashambazhou District ...
in
Kwekwe
Kwekwe ( ), known until 1983 as Que Que, is a city in the Midlands province of central Zimbabwe. The city has a population of 119,863 within the city limits, as of the 2022 census, making it the 7th-largest city in Zimbabwe and the second-most p ...
Urban councils
* City Councils in the province are
Gweru
Gweru is a city in central Zimbabwe. Near the geographical centre of the country. It is on the centre of Midlands Province. Originally an area known to the Northern Ndebele people, Ndebele as "The Steep Place" because of the Gweru River's high ...
and
Kwekwe
Kwekwe ( ), known until 1983 as Que Que, is a city in the Midlands province of central Zimbabwe. The city has a population of 119,863 within the city limits, as of the 2022 census, making it the 7th-largest city in Zimbabwe and the second-most p ...
municipalities.
* Town Councils are
Shurugwi
Shurugwi, formerly Selukwe, is a small town and administrative centre in Midlands Province, southern Zimbabwe, located about 350 km (220 miles) south of Harare, with a population of 22,900 according to the 2022 census. The town was establ ...
,
Zvishavane
Zvishavane (known until 1982 as Shabani) is a mining town in Midlands Province, Zimbabwe. Surrounded by low hills, it lies west of Masvingo, on the main Bulawayo-Masvingo road. Other roads lead from Zvishavane to Gweru, north, and Mberengwa, ...
and
Gokwe
The Gokwe Region consists of the land in the area around Gokwe centre that was formerly under the control of the hangweanguage people, a Shona-speaking group, which lay in the northern part of the Midlands province of northwestern Zimbabwe, and i ...
,
Redcliff.
Education
See also
*
Provinces of Zimbabwe
Provinces are constituent Polity, political entities of Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe currently has ten provinces, two of which are City, cities with provincial status. Zimbabwe is a unitary state, and its provinces exercise only the powers that the centra ...
*
Districts of Zimbabwe
The Republic of Zimbabwe is broken down into 10 administrative provinces, which are divided into 59 districts and 1,200 wards.
Bulawayo Province
* Bulawayo
Harare Province
* Harare
Manicaland Province
* Buhera
* Chi ...
References
Provinces of Zimbabwe
{{Zimbabwe-gov-stub