Bikita District
| Bikita | |
|---|---|
| District | |
|
Typical Scene at business centres across the district. | |
 Districts of Masvingo province | |
 Masvingo constituency seats for the 2008, showing the division of Bikita (District) | |
| Coordinates: 20°05′S 31°37′E / 20.083°S 31.617°ECoordinates: 20°05′S 31°37′E / 20.083°S 31.617°E | |
| Country | Zimbabwe |
| Province | Masvingo |
| District | Bikita |
| Government | |
| • Type | Rural Council |
| • Member of Parliament | Col. Claudious Makova, |
| Time zone | CAT (UTC+2) |
| • Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+1) |
Bikita is a district in the Masvingo Province of Zimbabwe. It is located about 80 kilometres (50 mi) east of Masvingo. Its name probably is derived from the Shona word Dikita which means antbear, which describes the shape of a nearby hill. The district used to be known as Denga which means up in the clouds and has moved several times to different locations. The surrounding area is mined for lithium. The reputed to have the largest reserve of petalite in the world.[1]
Geography
Climate
Bikita District is the third-driest district in Masvingo after Chivi and Chiredzi and is perennially-plagued by food shortages induced by low rains.[2]
Livestock maladies
The district with annually harangued by livestock diseases like anthrax and foot and mouth. On occasion these maladies even affect the populace, with a number of people dying. Sometimes there are even outbreaks of cholera.[3][4][5][6] Bikita district is defined by the presence of stinkbugs, called in vernicular harurwa. These insects are a delicacy to the locals and poison to the exotic.
Government and politics
The district sends three members to Zimbabwe's House of Assembly. Each of the wards in the district has an elected official who works at the rural district council.
The district was divided into three sections for the 2008 elections, namely east, west and south. The district was a stronghold of ZANU-PF from 1980 until the time of the 2008 parliamentary election, when the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) won all three seats, one with a razor thin margin.[7][8]
Bikita South
Bikita South, Zaka east and central, is made of wards 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 26, 28, and 29. During the 2008 House of Assembly elections, Luka Gumbare (ZANU-PF), Wilson Makonya (MDC(mut)) and Jani Varandeni (MDC(tsv)) ran for the seat. The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) announced Jani Marandeni as the winner with a total of 6,916 votes to 5,284 of Luka Gumbare. Matsai community is one of the most impoverished in Bikita but it has its shining beacon Mashoko mission with a renowned hospital and state-of-the-art high school.
Bikita East
Bikita East comprises wards 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 24, 25, and 27. Matthew Makaza (ZANU-PF), Walter Mutsauri (independent) and Edmore Marima (MDC(Tsva)) ran for the seat for the House of Assembly. According to the ZEC, Edmore Marima won the seat with 7,784 votes to 5,373 polled by Walter Mutsauri.
Bikita West
The cosntituency seat is made up of eleven wards, namely 5, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 22, 23, and 32. Elias Musakwa (ZANU-PF) and Heya Shoko (MDC(tsv)) ran for the seat. Shoko narrowly won the seat with 7,048 votes to Musakwa's 7,029.
Big families include Bhaku or Chitiga, Mupamhadzi, Marozva and Chisi.
References
- ↑ Mining Data (accessed 27 February 2008)
- ↑ More Dams needed (accessed 27 February 2008)
- ↑ Cholera kills (accessed 27 February 2008)
- ↑ Anthrax kills four (accessed 27 February 2008)e
- ↑ Anthrax claims eight (accessed 27 February 2008)
- ↑ foot and mouth outbreak (accessed 27 February 2008)
- ↑ Independent Election Results site (accessed 1 April 2008)
- ↑ Sokwanele site