Lupane

History

Although Lupane history has not been properly documented, the area is thought to have been occupied by the Tonga people who were pushed further up Northwards to present day Binga District by the arrival of King Mzilikazi during the establishment of the Ndebele Kingdom in Matabeleland. To this present day, the area is predominantly Ndebele speaking people, who were also ruled by King Lobengula after taking over from Mzilikazi. Two of Lobengula's counsellors, Magwegwe Fuyana and Mhlanga were buried in Lupane, [https://www.google.ie/maps/place/Pupu+Shangani+memorial/@-18.7964902,28.053664,17z/data=!4m12!1m6!3m5!1s0x194987fe755ef6b1:0x8ae1dbdb130ad404!2sPupu+Shangani+memorial!8m2!3d-18.7964902!4d28.0558527!3m4!1s0x194987fe755ef6b1:0x8ae1dbdb130ad404!8m2!3d-18.7964902!4d28.0558527?hl=en Pupu] area near Shangani River. Magwegwe Fuyane was the last of Lobengula's Kingdom equivalent to a Prime Minister by modern-day political language, Mhlanga was an aid de camp. Lupane residents participated in the Liberation War that lead to Zimbabwe Independence, April 1980, from white minority rule through the Political Party ZAPU of ZIPRA Liberation Armed Forces wing from 1960s. The area being a stronghold of ZAPU was not spared from Gukurahundi disturbances that occurred in the Matabeleland and Midlands areas in mid 1980s. In the 2000s, there have been cases of clashes of ever changing political stronghold landscape of MDC, with ZANU-PF. The Lupane State University was built in 2005, a notable feature to the modern history of Lupane together with the Bubi-Lupane Dam in 2010 on the Bubi River to supply water to Lupane District. A water treatment plant is also being built.

Geography

Lupane is a rural semi-arid area with a growing population and some infrastructural expansion due to status of being accorded the capital of the province under government devolution. The area falls under Savannah climate with four seasons, the altitude rainfall patterns favours woodlands and grasslands depending on the location in the country. Rains in the Lupane District are generally low, but peak in summertime driven by the ITCZ and winter periods are dry. The summer time is hot with daily temperatures reaching a maximum of 40°C, whilst winters are mild reaching daily minimum temperatures below 10°C. Lupane Town is located on the flatlands of Matabeleland North province, as evidenced by straight railway line passing through the western side from Nyamandlovu to Dete. There are three big rivers passing through Lupane district, Gwayi river is on the western side and Shangani river is on the eastern side, both flow northwards and merge at Gwai Shangani Dam northwards towards Zambezi river. The third river passing through Lupane Town, Bubi river a feeder river to Lupane Dam situated next to Lupane State University. ===Crop Farming=== Lupane community practice subsistence farming and rely on seasonal rainfall for watering crops. Irrigation is utilised in some areas particularly ARDA Estate in Jotsholo drawing water from nearby Shangani River Dam. Tshongogwe area practice irrigation crop farming and supplies produce to Jotsholo and Lupane. Crops cultivated include millet, sorghum, sugar cane, cotton and corn or maize and vegetables. Small scale farming in Lupane and villages in the area own cattle as a symbol for wealth, for transport and crop farming using animal drawn ploughs. Cattle also provide milk used to supplement food and for re-sale as a source of income.…

Most-observed species

• Pied Crow

  Corvus albus Statius Muller, 1776 · Aves
  12
• Black Kite

  Milvus migrans (Boddaert, 1783) · Aves
  9
• Fork-tailed Drongo

  Dicrurus adsimilis (Bechstein, 1794) · Aves
  8
• Greater Blue-eared Starling

  Lamprotornis chalybaeus Hemprich & Ehrenberg, 1828 · Aves
  7
• White-browed Sparrow-Weaver

  Plocepasser mahali A.Smith, 1836 · Aves
  6
• Southern Cordonbleu

  Uraeginthus angolensis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  6
• Namaqua Dove

  Oena capensis (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  6
• Ring-necked Dove

  Streptopelia capicola (Sundevall, 1857) · Aves
  6

Most recent

• M 4.7 — 2008-03-15
  46 km SW of Lupane, Zimbabwe