BY DR MASIMBA MAVAZA
The land of many heroes Shurugwi. The welcoming area and it does not deserve to be labelled as the mother land of these cold blooded criminals.
Comrade Matemadanda the National Political Commissair had this to say about Shurugwi
“Shurugwi is historical in that the Rhodesian rebel leader Ian Douglas Smith came from Shurugwi and the renowned ZANLA Commander Josiah Magama Tongogara also came from the area. Why this area that has produced such outstanding personalities can be thrown into such controversy I don’t know. For ZANU(PF) Shurugwi has always been a strong hold and because of that we know on an individual basis many men,women and youths. Most if not all people we have seen being referred to as “Mashurugwi” are not known to be children who come from that area. Just a look at over 40 who were arrested in Gokwe North being referred to as mashurugwi, not even one comes from shurugwi but some came from Harare and yet they are called mashurugwi. It is clear that these people are not even artisanal miners but Organized criminals who want to discredit Zimbabwe Gold on the international market so that the Gold will be classified as Blood Gold. This can only be done by people who have shown the world that they are anti Zimbabwe progress”
Indeed Shurugwi is golden Gem of Zimbabwe. In the name of Shurugwi please respect us and do not call the murders after our town we are not thieves. Shurugwi the home of elder Manyadza the home of Zwelitini the home of George Shimei Nyathi the home of Mavedzenge the home Munyamane the Home of Cde Mutikizira ahhh the home of Mukoma Washaya is not a haven of thieves. How can it be associated to thieves. Midlands the province of the President of Zimbabwe cde Mnangagwa the adopted home of Mai Auxilia Munangagwa the home of many giants all overseen by general Tongo yes Please we are not murders.
Shurugwi used to be known as Selukwe it was established in 1899 by the British South Africa Company and Willoughby’s Consolidated Company. Its name was derived from a nearby bare oval granite hill that resembled the shape of a pigpen (selukwe) of the local Karanga people.
The district remains an important centre for gold, chrome and platinum mining, but is perhaps best known as the home district of the former Rhodesian Prime Minister Ian Douglas Smith who owned a farm near Gwenoro Dam and it is the district where comrade Josiah Magama Tongogara hails from. Shurugwi, formerly Selukwe, is a small town and administrative centre in Midlands Province, southern Zimbabwe, located about 350 km from Harare.
The town is sits on a mineral-rich Archaean greenstone belt, known in this area as the Selukwe Schist Belt,making it one of the most mineral-rich towns in the country. Chromite, gold and nickel are all mined around Shurugwi. The town is also located on one of the most beautiful places in Zimbabwe, Wolfshall Pass, commonly known as Boterekwa due to the winding of the road as it negotiates its way up and between mountains. This is very similar to the pass close to Louis Trichardt in South Africa since both were constructed by an Italian firm, Boterekwa has been a scene of many road accidents with most of them fatal. The most notable of these accidents occurred in 1966 when a bus load of students from Chrome Secondary School overturned. Only three teachers survived the crash,seventy five students died. It is painful that the government has not done anything about the road there at least to widen it.
There are a number of schools in Shurugwi including Parkinson High, Chrome High, Shurugwi 2, Batanai High School, Charles Wraith Primary, Railway block primary, Selukwe peak primary, Ironsides primary etc. Most of the better schools are found in Shurugwi rural area, such as Pakame Mission, one of the oldest schools in the country, a Methodist run mission school which is about 40 km (25 miles) by road on the South towards Zvishavane, close to Guruguru Mountain, a volcanic solid rock mountain in Shurugwi Rural Areas; To honour one of our national heroes a school was named in his name. This school is in Shurugwi district. Tongogara High School, a government operated boarding school 40 km (25 miles) to the East and Hanke Adventist High School, an SDA run school 10 km (6 miles) on the North of Tongogara. Next to Hanke there is a school called Svika High named after a nearby Svika mountain. All these schools offer up to Advanced Level (“A-Level”).
Shurugwi also has rural primary schools such as Vungwi Primary School, Matamba Primary School, Tumba Primary Schools,Dhlemiti Primary school,Chironde Primary school,Zvizhazha Primary School,Mavedzenge Primary School,Musavezi Primary School and Nhema Primary School. Most of the graduates leave Shurugwi after primary/secondary education to pursue further education, usually A levels, in other towns as far as Harare. Shurugwi has produced a considerable number of professionals, notably in the fields of Chartered Accountants, lawyers, engineers, and medical doctors. There is a private college Institute of Business Technology popularly known as IBT College, founded by Sir Godfrey Gandawa, that offers academic school forms 1 to 6, and professional and computing courses at national foundation certificate, national certificate and national diploma levels with HEXCO examination status.
Mhangami Primary School is an Anglican church run school. Originally called St Pius, it was renamed Mhangami in honour of the local Chief Mhangami. The school was established in 1943 and offers up to grade 7.
We will take a closer look of
Tongogara High School which is a government-run high school in the rural areas of Chief Nhema in Shurugwi, Zimbabwe which offers classes up to A-level.
As one of the many post-independence secondary schools to be built in Zimbabwe, it was named after a famous freedom fighter, Josiah Tongogara, as an honour to his exploits in the Rhodesian Bush War. The school is situated in the homeland of the former fighter. It is only 15 km from Chachacha business centre, 18 km from the iconic Chinogwenya village and the District Heroes Acre. The first A-level enrollment was in 1989. Boarding facilities were extended to the lower grades from 1990. There is also a continuing education program for those who would like to advance their education.
The school has produced notable graduates who have gone to make a different both at home and in Zimbabwean diaspora. This school is located in Mvura village. Students at this school usually go to Mvura Seventh Day Adventist church because it is nearer, and it is believed that almost everyone in Mvura Village is an Adventist. The church has been very supportive in grooming the students. Graduates from this school who have gone far: Burombo Mudhumo, Upenyu Mzimbani, Jotham Zvinongoza, Chamson Matanda, Mapingire, Dry Mativenga, Felix Mutasa, Tapiwa Dobo and Munyaradzi Dobo – the twins who are qualified chartered accountants, Comfort and Armstrong Mvura who are believed to have left the school for diaspora and have been supportive to all the residents in the village.
The first students to attend the school were 120 coming from Matamba Primary, Mavedzenge primary school. The first O Level were of November 1985, and the first intake for A Level was in 1986.
On the 23rd of October 2019, there was a fire incident which reduced the boys hostel to ashes. The origins of the fire were unclear, it is believed that someone left his candle burning as there was no electricity due to load shedding. On the 24th of October 2019, Unki mine offered accommodation to all the boys in the boarding and also to transport them to school every morning until the hostel is completely restored.
The town lies in well wooded, hilly and picturesque country at an altitude of about 1,440 metres (4700′) and is well watered having a typical annual rainfall of 89 cm (3′). On a clear day it is quite possible to see the hills around Masvingo and Great Zimbabwe, the latter being over 145 km (90 miles) away.
Shurugwi because of its riches it has attracted thugs who are bent to selfishly squander the riches.
In an unprecedented move the hardworking Member of Parliament for Shurugwi North has formed a trust which is mandated to mine gold and use the profits to benefit the community. Comrade Ronald Robson Nyati (Dzimbahwe) has transformed Shurugwi to be a community of love and sharing. His programme is implementing the devolution which ZANU OF has been advocating for. The Minerals of Shurugwi through honourable Ronald Nyathi has created jobs and benefitted the nation and the community of Shurugwi.
As expected his daring community based move has attracted adverse attention. Before Nyathi came in the gold there were senior cadres who only benefitted their pockets. They created gangs who are bent in tarnishing the image of Shurugwi and stop the community service rendered by honourable Nyathi. Transforming Zimbabwe enriching the community one place at a time is the policy which has powered Nyathi in his community service in Shurugwi.
Nyathi has put together youth in mining ventures and he has instilled strict discipline in the mining activities in Shurugwi area. It is because of his genius leadership that Mashurugwi can not survive in Shurugwi. Nyathi has made every Shurugwian feel to be part and parcel of the development in the province.
Shurugwi is the only place were ZANU PF represents people in the town.
It is therefore clear that there is a strong force which is under hand to remove Nyathi and replace him with a criminal who will allow a few thugs from Kwekwe to benefit from the minerals Shurugwi is sitting on.
Some senior ZANU PF leaders who are not happy with the progress and pease and tranquility in Shurugwi have already started to de campaign Nyathi in order to control Shurugwi. Never in the life time of Shurugwi has people been put together to benefit from their own mineral resources.
Mashurugwi are meant to cause confusion so that the gang leaders whose mind is on exploiting the minerals to their benefits would take control of Shurugwi. They strive on confusion and if they want to benefit they the fan the chaos. Chaos makes it easy for these thugs to bloom.
The sorry thing is that the culprits use the name of the president in their criminal activities.
They are the team which builds a cast wall around the president so that the president will not hear about their activities. They shower the President with lies and capture the vision the president has for a mechanised and corruption free Zimbabwe. This team of corrupt high ranking cadres always obstruct people to see the president and they mount the glory of being the chosen ones. They then abuse their power in the mining sectors.
Midlands should be bringing in millions of dollars to the national pot. Unfortunately all the spoils are used to fatten just a few.
In Kwekwe they are known as honourable thirty percent and elsewhere they are known as honourable. These dishonourable idiots are tarnishing Shurugwi and the name of the President.
Midlands can not be mentioned without mentioning Shurugwi.
The land of many unsaid heroes.
Shurugwi is shouting with me today. NO SIR WE ARE NOT MURDERS. DO NOT EVER USE THE NAME OF SHURUUGWI IN VAIN. NOT IN SHURUGWI’S NAME.
