Historical Background

The History of the City of Mutare dates back to the 1870s. Prior to the coming of the Europeans the land was occupied by a tribe called the Manyika’s under the ruler ship of 5 chiefs, namely; chief Mutasa, chief Chipunza, chief Marange, chief Makoni and chief Gungunyana. However it was Chief Mutasa who ruled what is now known as the City of Mutare.

The discovery of Gold in the Penhalonga valley during the 1870s led Portuguese prospectors from Mozambique to the Penhalonga Valley. In 1878 the Portuguese, through Colonel A’ndrada obtained mining and commercial  rights from Chief Mutasa and formed the Mozambique Company.

In January 1889, Baron Rezende, the Manager of the Mozambique company pegged the Rezende and Penhalonga Mines. The claims were worked off under Portuguese regulations. The name of the valley and it’s mine was in honour of Count Penhalonga who with Rezende first formed the Mozambique company.

Concurrent to these events, Cecil John Rhodes, who through the BSA company had occupied Mashonaland, was doing his utmost to forestall any Portuguese encroachment from the East. Colquhoun who had been appointed Administrator of Mashonaland was to proceed to Chief Mutasa’s Kraal to make a treaty of Protection for Chief Mutasa and obtain for the BSA Company concessions for mineral and other rights. The other members of the party were Selous- the famous hunter, Dr Jameson, Major Johnson and Campbell.

On the 14th September 1890 in the Royal Kraal of Mutasa, a treaty was signed between Coloqhoun acting on behalf of BSA Co. and Chief Mutasa. Major Forbes was appointed to represent the BSC Co. in the area and assume command of the police.

The Portuguese disputed this treaty as they regarded Chief Mutasa as their vessel and dispatched Colonel A’ndrada and Gouveia with an armed force of about 300 men to Mutasa’s Kraal to regain control. Major Forbes of the BSA Co. sent a letter to the Portuguese protesting against their entering Mutasa’s Kraal and warning them against upsetting the Bristish treaty, but this was rebuffed. Inevitably Major Forbes and Colonel A’ndarda clashed at Chief Mutasa’s Kraal. The Portuguese were overpowered and arrested.

A convention signed by the British and Portuguese on the 11th June 1891 ended the hostilities and Manicaland was handed over to the British. Immediately after the trouble, Fort Umtali (Penhalonga) sprang into life. The first Centre of habitation was on the North slope of the Hill where the Police camp and Fort was situated. Two ladies Miss Blennerhassnet and Miss Sleeman, the first nurses in the country, arrived on foot from Beira in July 1891, and established the first hospital in Umtali.

However, Penhalonga, the first settlement of Umtali did not survive for long, mainly because prospectors pegged the whole area including the Fort itself and everywhere the pioneers were digging for Gold.

In 1891, penhalonga was abandoned and a new town was established 7 miles west to the present day ‘Old Umtali’, hence the 2nd Umtali. It was to become a little town with one business street and a few houses with a hospital and a police camp. There was a church (American Methodist), three Hotels, four stores including Meikles, a Prison, the Magistrates court and a Public Library.

The  town grew rapidly putting a demand on amenities, hence a Sanitary Board, consisting  of the Civil Commissioner and six other members, 3 of which were elected by residents, was established in 1893. This was the equivalent of a Town Council and it’s major function was a sewerage disposal and provision of water.

Meanwhile Rhodes had given orders for a railway line to be built from Beira to Salisbury via Old Umtali. This was not to be, as the Mountains and Engineering difficulties made the route impractical. Pauling, who was the contractor responsible for the railway recommended to Rhodes that Umtali should move to the railway.

A new site which comprised of the following farms; Birkely, Sable valley, Mountview and waterfalls was chosen  by a committee of Old Umtali residents. Rhodes compensated the owners for the Buildings and gave them equivalent stands in the new Town. The agreement was personally signed by Rhodes and A.W Sutter on behalf of the residents and was confirmed by proclamation no 15 of 1896, signed by the High Commissioner Lord Rossmead.The purchase price of the 4 farms which made up the new town was four thousand five hundred pounds. The survey having been done by Fairbridge who was assisted by his son Kingsley.

In 1897 on the 11th July, the sanitary board had it’s last meeting in Old Umtali and on the 29th September the board had it’s first meeting in the New Town. The Township of ‘Old Umtali’ was handed over by Rhodes to the American Methodist church through Bishop Hartzell.

The work of removing and rebuilding the town was carried out under the direction of George Pauling, then commissioner of Public works. the new town was laid out in exactly the same manner as the Old Umtali. Rhodes visited the new town to witness the fruition of his scheme which was accomplished in 1897. The Railway connection reached Umtali in February 1898 and was carried  through to Salisbury as Rhodes had promised.

The agreement between Rhodes and the  residents included the conducting of a school for European children in the New town which was carried out from 1898 until 1909. The Umtali Academy stood on the corner of 2nd street and D’ Avenue and was the building previously occupied by the Goldfields Hotel. A school for Europeans was also conducted by the Anglican church. These two school were the forerunners of the present Mutare Boys High and Mutare Girls high School.

The early town had a narrow gauge railway running up main street from the station. For many years  the streets were lit at night by Parrafin lamps. many of the buildings erected during that time are still standing, which includes T & N stores (Now occupied by Puzey & Payne), the Old Hostpital (Now Kopje House).