Goromonzi
Encyclopedia
Goromonzi is a rural community in Zimbabwe
, 20 miles (32.2 km) southeast of the country's capital city of Harare
. It covers an area of 35 square miles (90.6 km²) and has a population of 178,000. The people who live in the region are principally from the Shona
tribe. The village serves as a trading centre for commercial, communal and co-operative farms. It is also the administrative centre for the Chinyika communal land.
, and is represented in the national Parliament
by the single seat of Goromonzi in the Senate
and by three seats (Goromonzi North, Goromonzi South, and Goromonzi West
) in the House of Assembly
.
Water is obtained by digging wells,although the influence of development is seeping into the community thus providing tapped water to a rapidly expanding community. New houses are springing up as a township is now being built to cater for middle-class citizens who have tired of the city life.
There are two types of well; hand drawn and electrically operated. When a well fails, there are not always the financial resources to dig a new one. Electric pumps are subject to lightning strikes and mechanical problems. Goromonzi is on the electric grid but individual homes are not connected, and it is too expensive for most families.
s (strip roads are dirt roads with a narrow strip of tar for each wheel) and are in poor condition. There is little traffic, as few people have the resources to own or operate a truck. Public transport is by commuter taxi. There are a few oxcarts. Walking is the standard, and it is not unusual for children to walk 3 or 4 miles (6.4 km) to school, or for hungry family members to walk the same distance for food.
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
, 20 miles (32.2 km) southeast of the country's capital city of Harare
Harare
Harare before 1982 known as Salisbury) is the largest city and capital of Zimbabwe. It has an estimated population of 1,600,000, with 2,800,000 in its metropolitan area . Administratively, Harare is an independent city equivalent to a province. It is Zimbabwe's largest city and its...
. It covers an area of 35 square miles (90.6 km²) and has a population of 178,000. The people who live in the region are principally from the Shona
Shona people
Shona is the name collectively given to two groups of people in the east and southwest of Zimbabwe, north eastern Botswana and southern Mozambique.-Shona Regional Classification:...
tribe. The village serves as a trading centre for commercial, communal and co-operative farms. It is also the administrative centre for the Chinyika communal land.
Politics
Goromonzi lies in Mashonaland EastMashonaland East
Mashonaland East is a province of Zimbabwe. It has an area of 32,230 km² and a population of approximately 1.1 million . Marondera is the capital of the province.-Districts:Mashonaland East is divided into eight districts:* Chikomba* Goromonzi...
, and is represented in the national Parliament
Parliament of Zimbabwe
The Parliament of Zimbabwe consists of two chambers:*The Senate *The House of Assembly...
by the single seat of Goromonzi in the Senate
Senate of Zimbabwe
The Senate of Zimbabwe is the upper chamber of the country's bicameral Parliament. It existed from 1980 to 1989, and was re-introduced in November 2005....
and by three seats (Goromonzi North, Goromonzi South, and Goromonzi West
Goromonzi West
Goromonzi West is a constituency in Zimbabwe. As of 2008, it elects one representative to the House of Assembly. In the March 2008 parliamentary election the seat won won by the ZANU-PF candidate defeating the MDC candidate from the Morgan Tsvangirai faction by just 262 votes.A recount in...
) in the House of Assembly
House of Assembly of Zimbabwe
The House of Assembly of Zimbabwe is the lower chamber of the country's bicameral Parliament. It was the unicameral legislative body from 1989 until late November 2005, when the Senate was re-introduced....
.
Economy
Until 1999 the economy and many of the jobs of Goromonzi were based on commercial farms growing flowers and gourmet vegetables in greenhouses for export to Europe. These commercial farms are no longer operational due to the government land redistribution policy. Local unemployment is at 80% or more. Traditional farmers work on small holdings growing corn, pumpkins and other crops that are dependent on rainfall. At the current rate of inflation the cost of fertilizers and seeds are prohibitive. There is limited access to market.Challenges
The AIDS epidemic in the Goromonzi district has decimated the adult population with devastating effects on the community and family structures, the economy, and the general morale.Food
Food is the most critical concern of the people of Goromonzi. Unemployment, lack of transportation, the fact that there are few adults between the ages of 25 and 60, and a lack of farming knowledge passed from parents to children have all contributed to the difficulty in obtaining and producing food. Many children and adults are malnourished due to the scarcity of food in the region. Most have only one meal per day.Medicine
Three medical clinics are available for the community. Resources are strained to serve such a wide area; and some people have to walk 12 miles (19.3 km) or more to get care. Although malaria is not a serious problem due to Goromonzi’s altitude, schistosomiasis (bilharzia) is widespread and goes untreated along with a multitude of parasitic infections and other easily treated illnesses.Water is obtained by digging wells,although the influence of development is seeping into the community thus providing tapped water to a rapidly expanding community. New houses are springing up as a township is now being built to cater for middle-class citizens who have tired of the city life.
There are two types of well; hand drawn and electrically operated. When a well fails, there are not always the financial resources to dig a new one. Electric pumps are subject to lightning strikes and mechanical problems. Goromonzi is on the electric grid but individual homes are not connected, and it is too expensive for most families.
Transportation
The roads in Goromonzi are dirt or strip roadStrip road
A strip road is a dirt road with two narrow, parallel strips of asphalt, one for each wheel. Roads of this kind are found in parts of southern Africa, particularly Zimbabwe....
s (strip roads are dirt roads with a narrow strip of tar for each wheel) and are in poor condition. There is little traffic, as few people have the resources to own or operate a truck. Public transport is by commuter taxi. There are a few oxcarts. Walking is the standard, and it is not unusual for children to walk 3 or 4 miles (6.4 km) to school, or for hungry family members to walk the same distance for food.