{{short description|Administrative district in Zimbabwe}} {{EngvarB|date=August 2021}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}} <!-- Infobox begins --> {{Infobox settlement | official_name = Umguza District | other_name = | settlement_type = administrative district | image_map = Matabeleland North districts.png | map_caption = Umguza District in Matabeleland North | coordinates = {{coord|20|04|S|28|35|E|display=inline,title|region:ZW}} | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = Zimbabwe | subdivision_type1 = Province | subdivision_name1 = Matabeleland North | area_footnotes = <ref name="RDC">{{Cite web |title=About us |publisher=Umguza Rural District Council |url=http://www.umguzardc.com/our-gallery/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170911052333/http://www.umguzardc.com/our-gallery/ |archive-date=11 September 2017 |url-status=dead |df=dmy |access-date=27 July 2018 }}</ref> | area_total_km2 = 8374.78<!-- ALL fields dealing with a measurements are subject to automatic unit conversion--> | area_land_km2 = <!--See table @ Template:Infobox Settlement for details on automatic unit conversion--> | area_water_km2 = | area_water_percent = | elevation_footnotes = | elevation_m = | population_footnotes = <ref name="2R">{{cite web| title=Zimbabwe 2012 Census: Provincial Report Matabeleland North |url=http://www.zimstat.co.zw/sites/default/files/img/publications/Census/CensusResults2012/Mat_North.pdf |work=Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency | date=2012 |author=Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency | access-date=2 August 2021 |location=Harare, Zimbabwe |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170329004457/http://www.zimstat.co.zw/sites/default/files/img/publications/Census/CensusResults2012/Mat_North.pdf |archive-date=29 March 2017 | format=Archived from the original on 29 March 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Zimbabwe: Administrative Division (Provinces and Districts) - Population Statistics, Charts and Map |url=https://www.citypopulation.de/en/zimbabwe/admin/ |access-date=2024-02-17 |website=www.citypopulation.de}}</ref> | population_total = 113,265 | population_as_of = 2022 | timezone = CAT | utc_offset = +2 }} '''Umguza''' is a district in the southern part of Matabeleland North province in Zimbabwe. It was formerly known as Esiphezini District.<ref name="3R">{{cite web| url=https://www.mindat.org/feature-10800412.html |title=Umguza District, Matabeleland North Province, Zimbabwe |date=August 2021 |work=Mindat.org |access-date=2 August 2021 |author=Mindat}}</ref>
==Geography== Umguza District is bounded by Matobo and Umzingwane districts in the southeast, Bulilima and Tsholotsho in the west, Kusile (formerly part of Lupane District) in the north and Bubi in the north and east. It surrounds the Bulawayo metropolitan area to the south on three sides.<ref name="RDC" />
==Places in Umguza== * Ntabazinduna (Hill of the Chiefs)<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Belle |first1=Johannes |last2=Sithabile |first2=Moyo |last3=Ogundejib |first3=Abiodun A. |year=2017 |title=Assessing communal farmers'preparedness to drought in the Umguza District, Zimbabwe |journal=International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction |volume=22 |pages=194–203 |doi=10.1016/j.ijdrr.2017.03.004}}</ref> * Nyamandlovu a river valley where garden crops are raised.<ref name="RDC" />
==Administration and politics== Umguza District is governed by the Umguza Rural District Council, which has its offices in Bulawayo.<ref name="RDC" /> The district has one constituency, Umguza constituency, which was created out of the old Bubi-Umguza constituency. The constituency consists of the Nyamandlovu and Sawmills areas divided into fifteen wards.<ref name="Umguza-Constit">{{Cite web|title=Umguza Constituency Profile |publisher=Parliament of Zimbabwe |url=http://www.parlzim.gov.zw/component/k2/download/1233_49b50d92a67836de0c84bb7ce9559e2e |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171115063508/http://www.parlzim.gov.zw/component/k2/download/1233_49b50d92a67836de0c84bb7ce9559e2e |archive-date=15 November 2017 |url-status=live |df=dmy}}</ref>
Obert Moses Mpofu was elected in 1990 and 1995 as the member of parliament from Bubi-Umguza Constituency, the predecessor constituency.<ref name="Mpoful-Pindula">{{Cite web|title=Obert Mpofu |publisher=Pindula |url=https://pindula.co.zw/Obert_Mpofu |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160520123308/https://pindula.co.zw/Obert_Mpofu |archive-date=20 May 2016 |url-status=live |df=dmy}}</ref> In 2008 and in 2013 he filled the parliamentary seat for the Umguza constituency.<ref name="Mpoful-Pindula" /> He did not run in 2018.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Obert Mpofu bows out |date=5 April 2018 |newspaper=The Chronicle |url=http://www.chronicle.co.zw/obert-mpofu-bows-out/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180619181630/http://www.chronicle.co.zw/obert-mpofu-bows-out/ |archive-date=19 June 2018 |url-status=live |df=dmy}}</ref>
==Economy== The climate in the district is arid and the primary occupation is animal ranching.<ref name="Umguza-Constit" /> Among recent problems are "land barons" establishing illegal settlements, established without any concern for services such as water and electricity.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Tshili |first=Nqobile |date=2 February 2018 |title=Govt intervenes to address Umguza district illegal settlements problem |newspaper=Chronicle |url=http://www.chronicle.co.zw/govt-intervenes-to-address-umguza-district-illegal-settlements-problem/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180202020623/http://www.chronicle.co.zw/govt-intervenes-to-address-umguza-district-illegal-settlements-problem/ |archive-date=2 February 2018 |url-status=live |df=dmy}}</ref>
In the 2000s and early 2010s, about a dozen farmers in the district grew tobacco on a commercial basis. However due to climate change, the rains became erratic and transport of the crop to the auction house in Harare, nearly {{convert|400|km|0}} away became too expensive. As of 2019, there was no commercial tobacco farmer in Umguza District.<ref name="TobR">{{cite web|work=Al Jazeera |date=3 September 2019 |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2019/9/3/zimbabwes-bid-to-expand-tobacco-growing-faces-challenges |title=Zimbabwe's bid to expand tobacco growing faces challenges |author=Daisy Jeremani | access-date=2 August 2021}}</ref>
==Energy== In July 2021, ''AF Power Private Limited'' an independent power producer (IPP) based in Singapore announced plans to design, develop, operate and maintain a 200 megawatt solar power plant, in Umguza District. The Umguza Solar Power Station, which will be built in phases in expected to add the first 50 megawatts to the national grid during 2022.<ref name="10R">{{cite web | url=https://www.chronicle.co.zw/singapore-firm-to-set-up-200mw-solar-power-plant/ |title=Singapore Firm To Set Up 200 MW Solar Power Plant |work=The Chronicle (Zimbabwe) |date=23 July 2021 |author=The Zimbabwe Chronicle |access-date=2 August 2021 | location=Bulawayo, Zimbabwe}}</ref>
==Notes and references== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{Cite map|title=Umguza District Map |publisher=United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs {OCHA) |date=4 January 2010 |url=https://www.humanitarianresponse.info/sites/www.humanitarianresponse.info/files/A3_districts_Umguza.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180727180226/https://www.humanitarianresponse.info/sites/www.humanitarianresponse.info/files/A3_districts_Umguza.pdf |archive-date=27 July 2018 |url-status=live |df=dmy}} {{Clear}}
{{Authority control}} {{Geography of Zimbabwe|state=collapsed}}
Category:Districts of Matabeleland North Province Category:Umguza District