Minister July Moyo A large group of streets in Bulawayo, Bindura, Chegutu, Chipinge, Gweru, Harare, Masvingo and Mutare, largely named after colonial figures have had their names changed yesterday to national heroes or leaders of countries allied to the liberation movements.
The changes were gazetted by the Minister of Local Government and Public Works, July Moyo in Statutory Instrument 167 of 2020.
The change of names follows a Cabinet decision that was made last year in November.
Notable among the changes is the renaming of Enterprise Road in Harare to Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa Road.
Besides Enterprise Road being named after President Mnangagwa, roads in other towns now bear Mnangagwa’s name.
They include Sixth Avenue in Bulawayo, A5 Road in Kwekwe, Main Street in Gweru, Chipinge Main Street, Etherton Road in Bindura, Edgar Peacock Road in Mutare, Henry Hartley Road in Chegutu and Hughes Street in Masvingo.
Some of the streets whose names changed in Harare are Speke Avenue, which changed to Agostinho Neto Avenue, Angwa Street to Sir Seretse Khama Street, Third Street to Patrice Lumumba Street, Rezende Street to Julia Zvobgo Street, Selous Avenue to John Landa Nkomo Avenue, Cameron Street to Joseph Msika Street, while the stretch from Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport to Manyame Air Base is now called Josiah Tungamirai Drive, and Kirkman Drive is now known as Solomon Mujuru Drive.
In Bulawayo, the stretch from Fourth Avenue through to Seventh Street up to King George has been renamed John Landa Nkomo Avenue, Collenbrander Avenue is now Lookout Masuku Avenue and Victoria Falls Road is Mosi-Oa-Tunya Road.
Fort Street through to Bellevue Road up to Plumtree Road has been renamed Benjamin Burombo Street.
Some of the Government buildings whose names have been changed include the New Government Composite Office Building in Harare which will now be called Mgandane Dlodlo Building; Harare Central Hospital is now Sally Mugabe Central Hospital; Immigration Building in Harare has been named to Chingaira Makoni Building; Defence House to Hashim Mbita House; CID Headquarters Building to Ethan Dube Building and Central Registry Building to Muchecheterwa Chiwashira Building.