{{Short description|Official residence of the President of Zimbabwe}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2021}} {{Infobox building | name = State House | former_names = Government House | alternate_names = | image = | image_alt = | caption = | architectural_style = Cape Dutch revival | building_type = Official residence | structural_system = | cost = | ren_cost = | client = | owner = Government of Zimbabwe | current_tenants = President of Zimbabwe, Emmerson Mnangagwa | landlord = | coordinates = {{Coord|17|48|43|S|31|03|29|E|display=inline,title}} | address = | location_town = Harare | location_country = Zimbabwe | construction_start_date = | completion_date = 1910 | inauguration_date = | renovation_date = | main_contractor = William Cubitt & Co | architect = Detmar Jellings Blow | architecture_firm = | structural_engineer = | civil_engineer = | other_designers = | awards = | ren_architect = | ren_firm = | references = }}
'''State House''', formerly known as '''Government House''', is the official residence of the President of Zimbabwe and is located in Harare, Zimbabwe. It was previously used by the Administrator of Southern Rhodesia, Governor of Southern Rhodesia and the Governor-General of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland in addition to being occupied by the internationally unrecognised Rhodesian Officer Administering the Government and later President of Rhodesia. It was constructed in 1910 to a design by Detmar Blow in the Cape Dutch revival style.
== History == ===The Residency, 1895–1923=== The Residency on the corner of Baines Avenue and Second Street was constructed in 1895 by Edward Arthur Maund as the home of the Resident Commissioner of the British South Africa Company that governed Rhodesia under Company rule to replace the Old Government House.<ref name=bsa>{{cite book |first=Peter |last=Jackson |title=Historic Buildings of Harare, 1890–1940 |page=100 |publisher=Quest Publishing |year=1986 |isbn=9780908306022}}</ref> The Residency was purchased outright by the Company in 1901 for £3,500.<ref>{{cite book |author=Government of Southern Rhodesia |title=Official Year Book of Southern Rhodesia |publisher=Central Statistical Office |page=303 |year=1924 |edition=1st |asin=B0040GHGXY }}</ref> It shared the official government residence status in Rhodesia with Government House in Bulawayo which was constructed as the home of the founder of Rhodesia, Cecil Rhodes in 1897.<ref>{{cite book |first=Enocent |last=Msindo |title=Ethnicity in Zimbabwe |page=136 |year=2012 |publisher=University of Rochester Press |isbn=9781580464185}}</ref> After the residency ceased use by the commissioner in 1923, it retained its use as an official residence for prominent political leaders in Southern Rhodesia including: Attorney-General Robert Hudson (1924–1932), Minister of Agriculture Frank Ernest Harris (1933–1942), Chief Justice Sir Robert Hudson (1943–1946), Minister of Mines George Arthur Davenport (1946–1950), Minister John Moore Caldicott (1950–1963) and Minister The Duke of Montrose (1963–1968).<ref>{{cite web |title=Harare's Historic buildings – the Avenues - The Residency (1895) |url=https://zimfieldguide.com/harare/harare%E2%80%99s-historic-buildings-%E2%80%93-avenues |website=Zimfieldguide.com |access-date=14 March 2021}}</ref>
=== Government House, 1910–1980 === Government House was designed to be the residence of the Administrator of Southern Rhodesia, in contrast to the nearby residency occupied by the Company Commissioner, and was built in 1910 in the Cape Dutch revival style by English architect Detmar Jellings Blow, who although never visiting southern Africa himself worked on designs for the Statue of Jan van Riebeeck in Cape Town and extensions for Government House, Bulawayo at the same time.<ref>{{cite web |title=BLOW, Detmar Jellings |url=https://www.artefacts.co.za/main/Buildings/archframes.php?archid=139 |website=Artefacts.co.za |access-date=14 March 2021}}</ref> The construction was undertaken by William Cubitt & Co.<ref>{{cite web |title=Copy of a photograph showing an exterior view of Government House during its construction |url=https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/photos/item/BL20987/001 |publisher=Historic England |access-date=14 March 2021 |date=September 1910}}</ref>
Government House was the home of the Administrator of Southern Rhodesia (1910–1923), the Governor of Southern Rhodesia (1923–1953; 1963–1969; 1979–1980) and the Governor-General of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland (1953–1963).<ref>{{cite newsletter |author=Government of Rhodesia and Nyasaland |title=Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland Newsletter |issue=27-52 |page=4 |publisher=Federal Information Department |location=Nyasaland |year=1960 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MIUsAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Government+House+in+Salisbury%22}}</ref> During the Federation, the Governor of Southern Rhodesia resided in Governor's Lodge in the suburb of Highlands.<ref name="EAR65">[https://books.google.com/books?id=UaoqAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Officer+Administering+the+Government%22+Dupont ''East Africa and Rhodesia''], Volume 42, Africana, 1965, pages 339, 464</ref>
Following Rhodesia's Unilateral Declaration of Independence on 11 November 1965, the Governor of Southern Rhodesia Sir Humphrey Gibbs refused to leave the building to recognise the Rhodesian government as he declared he had dismissed them when they declared independence but the government continued to meet claiming they had abolished the Governor's office.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/nov/12/rhodesia-zimbabwe-independence-declaration-ian-smith-1965 |title=Rhodesia issues unilateral declaration of independence |work=The Guardian |date=12 November 1965 |access-date=19 January 2021}}</ref> The Prime Minister of Rhodesia Ian Smith asked Gibbs to leave Government House but Gibbs refused, citing he was still legally the Governor and the Queen's representative.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/259652797/?terms=%22Government%20house%22%20leave%20demand%20rhodesia&match=1 |title=Mr Smith tells Governor to move out |work=The Guardian |via=Newspapers.com |url-access=subscription |date=13 November 1965 |access-date=19 January 2021}}</ref> On the day of UDI, Rhodesian Army officers approached Gibbs in Government House asking for a warrant to arrest Smith but Gibbs declined to issue one.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://etheses.bham.ac.uk/id/eprint/314/1/Watts06PhD.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=5 July 2021 |archive-date=9 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709183500/https://etheses.bham.ac.uk/id/eprint/314/1/Watts06PhD.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> In response Rhodesian authorities removed his official cars and any signposts nearby bearing the name of "Governor's office".<ref name=flag /> They also cut off telephones and electricity to Government House and only addressed letters to it as "Stand 8060, Salisbury" by refusing to call it Government House.<ref name=flag /> They sent Gibbs monthly bills of Rh£800 for rent, which he refused to pay as the Rhodesian authorities also stopped his salary.<ref name=res>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=IhdVAAAAIBAJ&pg=1090%2C4932581 |title=Queen's man resigns |publisher=The Age |via=Google News |date=26 June 1969 |access-date=19 January 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-11-11-mn-6163-story.html |title=Sir Humphrey Gibbs; Britain's last Governor of Rhodesia |work=Los Angeles Times |date=11 November 1990 |access-date=19 January 2021}}</ref><ref name=flag>{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/346866649/?terms=Gibbs%20%22union%20jack%22%20smith%20%22government%20house%22%20opposite&match=1 |title=Hundreds of Rhodesians, black and white, helping Sir Humphrey pay bills |work=The Glens Falls Times |via=Newspapers.com |url-access=subscription |date=5 November 1966 |access-date=19 January 2021}}</ref> Gibbs survived on donations from his Rhodesian supporters.<ref name=flag /> Gibbs would continue to fly the Union Jack from the house as a symbol of defiance to Smith, who lived in Independence House opposite Government House.<ref name=flag /> Gibbs would only leave in 1969 after resigning following Rhodesia voting to become a republic.<ref name=res />
After Gibbs left, Clifford Dupont moved in as the Rhodesian recognised representative of the Queen as Officer Administering the Government and later President of Rhodesia when the republic was established on 2 March 1970 at Government House.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1990/11/08/obituaries/humphrey-gibbs-87-of-rhodesia-and-a-foe-of-white-rebels-dies.html |title=Humphrey Gibbs, 87, of Rhodesia And a Foe of White Rebels, Dies |work=New York Times |date=8 November 1990 |access-date=19 January 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/march/2/newsid_2514000/2514683.stm |title=1970: Ian Smith declares Rhodesia a republic |publisher=BBC News |date=2 March 1991 |access-date=19 January 2021}}</ref> Government House continued to serve as the location for official Rhodesian state events.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1976/04/29/archives/4-black-cabinet-ministers-take-the-oath-in-rhodesia.html |title=4 Black Cabinet Ministers Take the Oath in Rhodesia |work=New York Times |date=29 April 1976 |access-date=19 January 2021}}</ref>
=== State House, 1980–present === Following the independence of Zimbabwe, it was renamed "State House" and was used as the house of the President of Zimbabwe.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2002/jan/23/zimbabwe.features11 |title='They say that power corrupts – and it does' |work=The Guardian |date=23 January 2002 |access-date=19 January 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/482792149/?terms=harare%20%22state%20house%22%20salisbury&match=1 |title=Rival factions receive equal army positions |work=Calgary Herald |via=Newspapers.com |url-access=subscription |date=18 April 1981 |access-date=19 January 2021}}</ref> During his time in office, Zimbabwe's first President Canaan Banana was accused of engaging in homosexual rape on several members of staff in State House.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2003/nov/11/zimbabwe.andrewmeldrum |title=Canaan Banana, president jailed in sex scandal, dies |work=The Guardian |date=11 November 2003 |access-date=19 January 2021}}</ref> His replacement Robert Mugabe moved in after Banana's fall as a result of the accusations. Following an attack on Mugabe's residence in 1982, a 6pm curfew was introduced to prevent any traffic passing in front of State House, this was removed in 2017.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ewn.co.za/2018/03/20/mnangagwa-to-lift-restrictions-on-travelling-past-state-house-at-night |title=Mnangagwa to lift restrictions on travelling past State House at night |publisher=Eyewitness News |date=20 March 2018 |access-date=19 January 2021}}</ref> In 2006, Mugabe moved his personal residence from State House to a newly constructed mansion in the Borrowdale suburb.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theindependent.co.zw/2006/03/24/mugabes-mansion-sealed-off/ |title=Mugabe's mansion sealed off |publisher=The Zimbabwe Independent |date=24 March 2006 |access-date=19 January 2021}}</ref> State House was retained as the location for official receptions.<ref name=n>{{cite web|url=https://www.news24.com/news24/Africa/Zimbabwe/mugabes-left-official-residences-in-terrible-state-report-20180417 |title=Mugabes left official residences in 'terrible state' |publisher=News24 |date= |access-date=19 January 2021}}</ref> In 2011, a report from 2008 was leaked alleging that State House was being used as a location by the Central Intelligence Organisation for state torture and abductions.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.thezimbabwean.co/2011/10/cio-offices-torture-centres-exposed/ |title=CIO offices, torture centres exposed |publisher=The Zimbabwean |date=14 October 2011 |access-date=19 January 2021}}</ref>
In 2016, Mugabe unveiled a 3.7 m (12 ft) tall statue of himself in the grounds of State House.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-37339113 |title=Robert Mugabe statue: Zimbabwe sculptor denies mocking president |publisher=BBC News |date= 12 September 2016|access-date=19 January 2021}}</ref> After Mugabe was removed from office, it was reported that he left State House in a poor condition that was so bad it prevented his successor Emmerson Mnangagwa from moving in.<ref name=n /><ref>{{cite web|author=newsday |url=https://www.newsday.co.zw/2018/04/state-house-under-major-renovations/ |title=State House under major renovations |publisher=Newsday |date=17 April 2018 |access-date=19 January 2021}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{Presidential Palaces in Africa}}
==See also== *State House (Bulawayo)
Category:Government Houses of the British Empire and Commonwealth Category:Government buildings in Zimbabwe Category:Government buildings completed in 1910 Category:Cape Dutch Revival architecture in Zimbabwe Category:Politics of Rhodesia Category:History of Rhodesia Category:Southern Rhodesia Category:Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland Category:Buildings and structures in Harare Category:British South Africa Company Category:Presidential residences Category:1910 establishments in Southern Rhodesia