On April 18, 1982 Zimbabwe renamed its capital city Harare, after the Shona chief, Neharawa. Under colonial rule the city was named Salisbury, after the British Prime Minister Robert Arthur Talbot Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury.
On the second anniversary of independence from Britain, Zimbabwe embarked on the process of renaming its cities, towns and streets, in an attempt to eradicate all symbols associated with the British colonialism and White minority rule.
Fort Salisbury
The city was founded in 1890 by the Pioneer Column, a small military force of the British South Africa Company, and named Fort Salisbury after the then British Prime Minister, Lord Salisbury. Company administrators demarcated the city and ran it until Southern Rhodesia achieved responsible government in 1923.
Salisbury was thereafter the seat of the Southern Rhodesian (later Rhodesian) government and, between 1953 and 1963, the capital of the Central African Federation. It retained the name Salisbury until 1982, when it was renamed Harare on the second anniversary of Zimbabwean independence.
Renamed Cities and Towns
Place names in Zimbabwe, including the name of the country itself, have been altered at various points in history. The name Zimbabwe was officially adopted concurrently with Britain’s grant of independence in April 1980. Prior to that point, the country had been called Southern Rhodesia from 1898 to 1964 (or 1980, according to British law), Rhodesia from 1964 to 1979, and Zimbabwe-Rhodesia between June and December 1979. Since Zimbabwean independence in 1980, the names of cities, towns, streets and other places have been changed by the government, most prominently in a burst of renaming in 1982.
Old Name |
New Name |
| Balla Balla | Mbalabala |
| Banket | Lower Mujeni |
| Belingwe | Mberengwa |
| Bembesi | Mbembesi |
| Bhebe Dam | Bhebbe |
| Biriwiri | Piriviri |
| Bubye | Bubi |
| Bulalima-Mangwe | Bulilimamangwe |
| Centenary | Muzarabani |
| Chakara | Chikara |
| Chibi | Chivi |
| Chibvi Dip | Chibvi |
| Chigoma Dam | Chingoma |
| Chilimanzi | Chirumanzu |
| Chimandhu Dam | Chimhandu |
| Chimwemwe Dam | Muneni |
| Chinyauwhera | Chinyauhera |
| Chipfika Dam | Chipfiko |
| Chipinga | Chipinge |
| Darwendale Dam | Manyame |
| Dett | Dete |
| Dewure PL | Devure |
| Dutchman’s Dam | Lower Zivagwe |
| Eben Dam | Mupfurudzi |
| Enkeldoorn | Chivhu |
| Esquilingwe Weir | Nyajena |
| Essexvale | Esigodini |
| Fort Victoria | Masvingo |
| Frogmore Dam | Upper Ruya |
| Gatooma | Kadoma |
| Gulamalaka Dam | Chinakwa |
| Gwaai | Gwai |
| Gwelo | Gweru |
| Hartley | Chegutu |
| Henry Hallam Dam | Harava |
| Hunyani Poort Dam | Chivero |
| Hunyani River | Manyame |
| Ingezi | Ngezi |
| Ingwezi Dam | Ingwesi |
| Inyanga | Nyanga |
| Inyati | Inyathi |
| Inyazura | Nyazura |
| Kanyongore Dam | Kanyongoro |
| Khami Dam | Khame |
| Kyle Dam | Mutirikwi |
| Lesapi Dam | Rusape Dam |
| Lomagundi | Makonde |
| Lower Gwelo | Manyame |
| Lower Impali Dam | Shurugwi (dam) |
| Lower Maynard Weir | Chirudzani |
| Lower Seigneury Weir | Angler’s Rest |
| Lower Umgusa Dam | Lower Mgusa |
| Lundi | Runde |
| Lute Dam | Luthi |
| Maleme Dam | Lower Maleme |
| Mamanda Dam | Mamande |
| Mangula | Mhangura |
| Manyeni TTL | Manyene |
| Marandellas | Marondera |
| Maranke TTL | Marange |
| Mare Dam | Nyangwe |
| Mashaba | Mashava |
| Matopos | Matobo |
| Mawuto | Mauto |
| Mayfair Dam | Insiza |
Old Name |
New Name |
| Mazoe | Mazowe |
| Melsetter | Chimanimani |
| Miami | Mwami |
| Mphoengs | Mphoeng |
| Mrewa | Murewa |
| Msengezi PL | Musengezi |
| Mtali Dam | Mutora |
| Mtepatepa | Mutepatepa |
| Mtilikwe TTL | Mutirikwi |
| Mtoko | Mutoko |
| Mtorashanga | Mutorashanga |
| Mtsheleli Dam | Mutsheleli |
| Mufundisi Dam | Mfundisi |
| Mvurwi | Suoguru |
| Mzarabani TTL | Muzarabani |
| Mzinyatini | Mzinyathini |
| Mzolo | Mzola |
| Narira | Nharira |
| Ndhlumbi | Ndlumbi |
| Ngungunyane | Ngungunyana |
| Nkai | Nkayi |
| Nuanetsi | Mwenezi |
| Nyamatara | Nyamutora |
| Nyamunga | Nyamhumga |
| Palawan Dam | Ngezi |
| Poole Dam | Dziva |
| Prince Edward Dam | Seke (dam) |
| Purdon Dam | Saunyami |
| Que Que | Kwekwe |
| Quested Dam | Bulilima |
| Range Dam | Chikomba |
| Rhodes Dam | Nyanga (dam) |
| Rixon Dam | Upper Insiza |
| Sabi | Save |
| Sabi North TTL | Save |
| Salisbury | Harare |
| Seki (TTL) | Seke |
| Selukwe | Shurugwi |
| Shabani | Zvishavane |
| Shabani Weir | Zvishavane Weir |
| Sikiro Dam | Svikiro |
| Sinoia | Chinhoyi |
| Sipolilo | Guruve |
| Somabula | Somabhula |
| Three Sisters Dam | Upper Maleme |
| Tiyabenzi Dam | Shangani |
| Tjolotjo | Tsholotsho |
| Tobgwe Dam | Tongwe |
| Tuli | Thuli |
| Udu Valley Dam | Udu |
| Umfuli River | Mupfure |
| Umgululu Dam | Mgululu |
| Umhlanga Dam | Mhlanga |
| Umniati River |
Munyati / Sanyati
|
| Umtali | Mutare |
| Umvukwes | Mvurwi |
| Umvuma | Mvuma |
| Umzingwane Dam | Mzingwane |
| Urungwe | Hurungwe |
| Victoria (district) | Masvingo |
| Vila Salazar | Sango |
| Wankie | Hwange |
| Wozhele 1 (dam) | Hozheri 1 |
| Wozhele 2 (dam) | Hozheri 2 |
| Zawi | Zave |
