Mutoko


Mutoko is a small town in Mashonaland East province, Zimbabwe. It was established as an administrative station in 1911. It lies 143 km from Harare. It is named after the local Chief Mutoko.
This town is capital of the Mutoko District which is inhabited by the Buja people. The Buja people are said to have settled in Mutoko from Mhingari in what is now Mozambique, led by Nohoreka, his father Mukombwe, his brothers Nyanzunzu and Mukwiradombo and sister Chingate. Nohoreka found Makate and his people in this area and Nohoreka gave his sister Chingate to Makate as a wife who later tricked Makate to lose the kingdom to Nohoreka., a spiritual leader of the Buja people. Nehoreka's totem is shumba Nyamuzihwa. Nehoreka is also the name of a 10 piece Afro Fusion music band, formed in Gweru Zimbabwe by Percy Nhara, Solomon Jahwi and Innocent Madamombe. Band is now based in Harare. The city includes a future based young artist Blessing Sulumba who rose fame in 2015 after his first album which was also Sponsored by Childline Mutoko and launched at Starbrite Talent Show.The city measures up to 678 km whole wide and got the famous Teacher's college situated in the East.
The Buja people are known for being amongst the best tomato and mango farmers in Zimbabwe. Mutoko is surrounded by villages which were given to farmers after the war. It is from these resettlements the country is fed. In these areas they produce maize, cotton, beans and recently tobacco. Mutoko is considered one of the major bread baskets of Zimbabwe.
Mutoko area is also known for being a very mountainous region of Zimbabwe and as such is an important source granite stone.
In 1937 at nearby Mutemwa there was established one of the few leprosy treatment centres in the country at which John Bradburne worked from 1969 until he was killed by guerrillas during the Rhodesian Bush War. Up to 25,000 people attend a service each year in his memory.
Mutoko is also the birthplace of Tsitsi Dangarembga, author of the famous post-colonial novel Nervous ConditionsWilson Katiyo, Dzekasburg, Chawasarira, Admire Mudzonga and many others who stood as luminaries in this corner of Zimbabwe. UK-based author, Masimba Musodza, although born and bred in Harare, is of the Buja people and takes pride in his heritage as a direct descendant of Nohoreka.
list of famous institutions in Mutoko:
Nyadire Methodist Mission :Teachers College, mixed boarding facilities for High and primary school, hospital, Methodist church institution
Mutoko High School Gvt Funded boarding facilities mixed
All Souls Catholic Mission : Orphanage mixed Boarding facilities for High and primary schools, hospital, church
Nyamuzuwe Methodist Mission: mixed Boarding facilities for High and primary School hospital and church.
Tourist attractions:
Mutoko airport
mutoko centre
Mutoko ruins
Mudzi River.It were the Traditional dance of ZIMBABWE started and Frank Changoto is now an Ambassador of Zimbabwean Traditional dance because he was born in Mutoko.
Mutoko is also the birthplace of Abel Kahuni, one of the best middle distance runners Prince Edward School and Zimbabwe has ever produced.
27 km south-west of Mutoko lies a Developing Growth Point called Jani. It is considered the rapid rural developing centre in Mashonaland East. It has a capture area of about 30 km.