Zimbabwe: Mbudzi Interchange Renamed Trabablas After Mnangagwa’s Nickname

The Zanu PF-led government has dropped the original name of Mbudzi roundabout and retitled it Trabablas Interchange, President Emmerson Mngangagwa’s nom-de-guerre during the country’s liberation war.

In recent years, government has renamed streets and roads after Mnangagwa, who is rumoured to harbour ambitions of running for a third presidential term, although he has publicly spurned overtures by party organs to stay beyond his second and final term that ends in 2028.

The government argues renaming the roadworks Trabablas after Mnangagwa’s liberation war name was a gesture of recognising the unmatched development trajectory on which he has put Zimbabwe.

Addressing journalists in Harare at a post-Cabinet briefing Tuesday, Information Minister, Jenfan Muswere said that the name change, proposed by Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi as the acting chairperson of the Cabinet Committee on Place Names, had been approved.

“Cabinet wishes to advise that upon completion, the Mbudzi Interchange will be named ‘Trabablas Interchange’ in recognition of the visionary leadership of His Excellency the President Cde Dr Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa,” Muswere said.

“Cabinet wishes to advise that upon completion, the Mbudzi Inter-change will be named “Trabablas Inter-change,” in recognition of the visionary leadership of His Excellency, the President Cde Dr. Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa,” said Minister Muswere pic.twitter.com/7MfM2bKtmn– NewZimbabwe.com (@NewZimbabweCom) December 17, 2024

Before its upgrade, the Mbudzi roundabout was notorious for traffic congestion, particularly during peak hours, as motorists struggled to navigate past the intersection, which is yet to be completed.

He said the Cabinet also received and approved the renaming of Headquarters 1 Infantry Brigade, Headquarters Bulawayo District and Zimbabwe School of Infantry Army Barracks, which was presented by Ziyambi.

“Following the promulgation of a Defence Cantonment Notice of 2017 and the subsequent renaming of Headquarters 1 Infantry Brigade, Headquarters Bulawayo District and the Zimbabwe School of Infantry, Cabinet has now directed that the Army Barracks should retain their original names.

“Accordingly, Headquarters1 now retains the name Khumalo Barracks; Headquarters Bulawayo District retains the name Imbizo Barracks; and the Zimbabwe School of Infantry be renamed Lookout Masuku Barracks,” he said.

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