Mbare, Harare

Coordinates: 17°51′34″S 31°02′49″E / 17.85944°S 31.04694°E / -17.85944; 31.04694

Mbare is a high-density, southern suburb of Harare, Zimbabwe.

It was the first high-density suburb (township), being established in 1907. At that time, it was located near the city cemetery, sewage works, and abattoir. It was originally called Harare (Hariri) Township, a name later on used for the capital city itself. Harare is a corruption of Haarari, meaning 'One who never sleeps' and this was the name given to the Zezuru Chief of this north eastern part of Zimbabwe, a Chief Harava.

History

Mbare (formerly Harare) started to expand in about 1907 when the white settlers built a town called Salisbury, thus created an influx of people coming from Mozambique, Zambia, and Malawi looking for employment. The phenomenon gave rise to urban development, but real growth was accelerated when Mbare relocated from where Cold Storage Commission is today to its present location. The first council houses built were popularly known as Kaytor or Old bricks. The colonial term for these kinds of suburbs was the locations, very similar to housing projects in the USA. The area was largely populated by migrant workers while the local workforce preferred to maintain their rural homes reserved places and came to the city seasonally. During the 40's there was a big shortage of workers as indicated by D.Sean Bott's Labour in colonial Zimbabwe . The council built Matapi flats and Mbare hostels to accommodate local male workers. They would work for a few days at a time and then return to their families in the rural areas. Today those flats are now occupied by married couples.