Online Reporter
Emmanuel Kafe
FOR decades after independence in 1980, Zimbabwe’s main Independence Day celebrations were largely confined to the capital, Harare, with the National Sports Stadium hosting the annual commemorations.
While the occasion remained a powerful symbol of the country’s liberation and sovereignty, the benefits of hosting the national event were mostly limited to the capital.
In recent years, the Second Republic, led by President Mnangagwa, has adopted a deliberate policy to decentralise national events, taking major commemorations such as the Independence Day celebrations to provinces across the country. The policy is designed to ensure that communities outside Harare also benefit from national investment in infrastructure development, economic activity and improved public services.
The decentralisation programme has already begun to transform several districts that have hosted the celebrations, leaving behind improved roads, upgraded sporting facilities, better schools and enhanced public infrastructure.
Government officials say the approach reflects the Second Republic’s commitment to inclusive national development, ensuring that every province shares in the country’s progress.
For many communities, hosting the Independence Day celebrations has become more than just a symbolic honour; it has become a catalyst for development.
Moving the celebrations beyond Harare
In 2018 and 2019, the commemorations were held at the National Sports Stadium in Harare, continuing a long-standing tradition dating back decades. However, the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted normal celebrations in 2020 and 2021, forcing the Government to scale down the events.
During those years, commemorations were held at State House in Harare, with strict health restrictions limiting public participation. But as the pandemic eased, the Government moved decisively to implement its decentralisation strategy.
Bulawayo led the new approach
The first major step came in 2022, when the 42nd Independence Day celebrations were held at Barbourfields Stadium in Bulawayo.
The move was widely welcomed as a sign that national events would now rotate across provinces rather than remain concentrated in the capital.
Permanent Secretary for Provincial Affairs and Devolution for Bulawayo Mr Paul Nyoni said the decentralisation policy accelerated development in the province.
“Decentralisation has sped up legacy projects, and we commend President Mnangagwa for this policy as it is bringing much-needed development across provinces that host Independence Day celebrations,” he said. “It is a good idea because there is development that comes with this policy.”
Mr Nyoni said the approach not only improved infrastructure, but also stimulated economic activity.
“The policy spotlights areas of need in provinces selected to host Independence Day celebrations and also excites business in those areas.”
Ahead of the celebrations, the Government undertook extensive refurbishment of Barbourfields Stadium, including upgrading terraces, improving changing rooms and enhancing security and lighting systems.
Roads leading to the stadium and surrounding areas were also rehabilitated to accommodate the thousands of people who attended the national event.
The celebrations injected new economic activity into the city, with hotels, restaurants and transport operators benefiting from the influx of visitors from across the country. For Bulawayo residents, hosting the celebrations was both symbolic and practical — reaffirming the city’s place in the national story while also bringing tangible infrastructure improvements.
Mount Darwin benefits from development
The decentralisation programme gathered further momentum in 2023, when the 43rd Independence Day celebrations were held in Mount Darwin, Mashonaland Central province.
ZANU PF Mashonaland Central provincial chairperson and Minister of Home Affairs Cde Kazembe Kazembe said the policy has already yielded tangible results in provinces that have hosted the celebrations.
“A lot of developments took place in the province, such as boreholes, schools and almost 240 computers were donated as part of ICT (information and communication technology) empowerment programmes,” he said.
“We thank the President as most of the legacy projects were sped up and many people experienced these developments at their doorstep.”
Cde Kazembe said some of the projects brought by the Independence Day celebrations to the province included state-of-the-art infrastructure aimed at modernising communities and improving service delivery.
Key roads leading to the venue were rehabilitated, including sections connecting Mount Darwin to surrounding growth points and rural communities.
Facilities at the main celebration venue were upgraded, while nearby schools and community infrastructure also received attention. For residents of the largely rural district, hosting the celebrations represented a rare opportunity to showcase the area to the rest of the country while benefiting from long-awaited infrastructure improvements.
Buhera sees transformation
The following year, the celebrations moved to Murambinda B Secondary School in Buhera district, Manicaland province, marking another milestone in the decentralisation programme.
In the months leading up to the 2024 Independence Day celebrations, the Government rolled out several infrastructure projects in the district.
Roads linking Buhera to the surrounding areas were upgraded, improving connectivity for residents and traders. Murambinda B Secondary School itself underwent major improvements to prepare it to host the national event.
Sporting grounds were upgraded, seating space enhanced and sanitation facilities improved.
The development extended beyond the school grounds. Growth points in the district benefitted from improvements in roads, public spaces and service delivery. Residents said the preparations for the celebrations helped accelerate projects that had long been needed in the district.
Major development in Gokwe North
Last year, the celebrations moved to Mutora Business Centre in Nembudziya, Gokwe North district, in the Midlands province. Like other districts before it, Gokwe North witnessed extensive infrastructure development ahead of the national event. Roads linking Nembudziya to major highways were rehabilitated to improve accessibility to the venue. Public facilities were upgraded. They included schools, community grounds and surrounding infrastructure. The development drive also helped improve services in the district, with local authorities working closely with Government ministries to ensure the area was ready to host the country’s biggest national celebration.
Residents described the event as a turning point for the district, which had often been overlooked in national development planning in the past.
This time it is Maphisa, Matabeleland South
This year, the decentralisation programme continues as the 46th Independence Day celebrations are earmarked for Maphisa in Matabeleland South province, marking another milestone in the Government’s drive to spread national events and development across the country. In preparation for the historic occasion, the Independence Flame is set to embark on a symbolic journey across Matabeleland South, passing through key liberation war sites and communities that played a role in the country’s struggle for freedom.
A policy rooted in inclusive development
The Government believes the decentralisation of national events is part of a broader strategy to promote balanced development across Zimbabwe.
Under the Second Republic, the Government has emphasised the importance of ensuring that rural and previously marginalised areas benefit from national programmes and investments.
By rotating Independence Day celebrations across provinces, the Government is able to channel infrastructure spending into districts that might otherwise take longer to receive major upgrades.
Hosting Independence Day celebrations brings immediate economic benefits to local communities.
Thousands of visitors travel to the host district for the celebrations, boosting demand for accommodation, food, transport and other services.
Local traders often record increased business as visitors purchase goods and services during the celebrations.
Beyond infrastructure and economic activity, the decentralisation of Independence Day celebrations also strengthens national identity.
