The Bulawayo City Council has the powers to change street names in the city contrary to claims by deputy local government minister Marian Chombo that the local authority cannot effect the name changes.

Two weeks ago, Chombo, reacting to a report that BCC had changed street names, said the local authority had no authority to make the changes.

However, Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi has clarified that local authorities can change street names.

“The naming of streets name places is in two parts.  There are those that are done by local authorities subject to approval and gazetting,” said Ziyambi in response top a question from MDC-T leader Thokozani Khupe who had asked who has legal powers to change street names.

Added Ziyambi Ziyambi, “Then there are some that are named by central Government subject to the relevant procedures and approval by Cabinet, gazetting and then the names will be changed or named accordingly.”

Some of the effected changes are as follows:

Leopold Takawira Avenue (from Samuel Parirenyatwa Street to Umguza River Bridge along Gwanda Road) which is now King Mzilikazi Road, Nketa Drive is now Queen Lozikheyi Dlodlo Drive, Athlone Avenue is Simon Vengai Muzenda Road and 23rd Avenue is Landa John Nkomo Road.

Lady Stanley Avenue is now Mama Joanna Mafuyana Avenue, Steeldale Road and Anthony Tylor Road is now Albert Nxele Road, Dunde Drive has been renamed Sikhanyiso Duke Ndlovu Drive, Fife Street is now Nikita Mangena Street and Fort Street has been renamed Lookout Masuku Street.

Old Khami Road is Sydney Malunga Road, Basch Street is Dumiso Dabengwa Road, Waverley Road is  Jairos Jiri Road while Fairbridge has been renamed Erick Bloch Way.

Other roads renamed are Hillside Road which is now Sir Garfield Todd Road, Van Riebeck Road is Joseph Msika Drive, Connaught Avenue is Cephas Cele Avenue, Collenbrander Road is Daniel Madzimbamuto Road, Manchester Road is now George Nyandoro Road, Vera Road is now Naison Khutshwekhaya Ndlovu Road, Birkenhead Road has been renamed Sikanjaya Muntanga Road and Doncaster Road is now Maria Msika Road.

Lobengula Street has been corrected to King Lobengula Street, together with Moffat Road in Hillside which has been corrected to Robert Moffat Drive and Leander Road in Hillside which is now Dr Leander Star Jameson.