Online Reporter
Vusumuzi Dube, Deputy Radar Editor
A MAJOR road in Bulawayo is set to be renamed in honour of former Mozambican President Joaquim Chissano, recognising his pivotal role in regional peace and cooperation.
The move reflects Zimbabwe’s appreciation for President Chissano’s contributions to Southern Africa’s stability and development.
The former Statesman was at the helm of the Southern African country from 1986 to 2005, following the tragic death of the first Mozambican leader after independence, Samora Machel.
According to a Bulawayo City Council (BCC) report, the local authority, working with the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, has started the process of renaming George Avenue in honour of the former Mozambican leader.
“A letter has been received from the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, which indicates that a request has been received by the Ministry from Friends of Joshua Nkomo Trust for the City of Bulawayo to name a street in honour of the former Mozambican President , Joaquim Chissano.
“The Names Alterations Act Chapter 10:14 Subsection 1 states that the Minister can only alter the name of a street after consultations with the person in whom the ownership or control of the street is vested, therefore, the letter from the Ministry appended is in line with the provisions of the Act. It is proposed that George Avenue be named after the former Mozambican President,” reads the report.
George Avenue, named after the former United Kingdom monarch, King George VI, stretches from Harare Road to Old Esigodini Road.
According to the letter from the Ministry, the move to rename the street would serve as a lasting gesture of regional unity, a testament to the enduring bonds between Zimbabwe and Mozambique.
“The Ministry is in receipt of a correspondence from Friends of Joshua Nkomo Trust requesting that the City of Bulawayo should consider renaming a street in honour of President Joaquim Alberto Chissano, the second President of Mozambique, who served from 1986 to 2005.
“This would serve as a lasting gesture of regional unity, a testament to the enduring bonds between Zimbabwe and Mozambique and a symbolic bridge of friendship. Renaming of a road will also reflect the City of Bulawayo’s commitment to promoting African unity and co-operation. In the meantime, you may be considering this proposal while awaiting the Ministry’s further communication,” reads the letter from the Ministry.
Once implemented, this will be the first road in the city named after a former African leader. In 2022, the local authority passed a resolution to rename a street after former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, although the decision was eventually not implemented.
Born on 22 October 1939, in Malehice — Gaza Province of Mozambique, former President Chissano entered politics at a young age, campaigning against the Portuguese colonial government.
When he went to Portugal to study medicine in 1961, he was forced to flee because of his affiliations and sought refuge in France.
In 1962, he travelled to Tanzania and became a founding member of the Mozambique Liberation Front (Frelimo. Former President Chissano played a fundamental role in the 1974 negotiations on the independence of Mozambique, between Frelimo and the Portuguese Government, taking office as Prime Minister of the transitional government.
When Mozambique became independent on 25 June 1975, Cde Chissano was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs. With the tragic death of President Samora Machel in 1986, he was elected as his successor, a position he held till 2005.
Among many high positions former President Chissano subsequently held, he was Chairperson of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and Chairperson of the African Union.
After retiring from office, he was appointed Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for the 2005 Summit to Review the Implementation of the Millennium Declaration, as well as Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General to Guinea-Bissau, and to the LRA-affected areas and from June 2009, as SADC Mediator for Madagascar.
He also led the Comité des Sages deployed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to create an enabling environment for the first multiparty democratic elections in that country.
The former President is currently the high-level facilitator for the Zimbabwe Arrears Clearance and Debt Resolution Process.
In July, he was honoured at the Liberation Movements Summit, which was held in Johannesburg, South Africa, for his outstanding leadership and immense contribution to the liberation of the African continent.
