Category: Zimbabwe

1980 – Opening of the First Parliament of Zimbabwe

Opening of the First Parliament of Zimbabwe

14 May 1980

On 14 May 1980, the first Zimbabwe Parliament was opened by President Cannan S Banana with Prime Minister Robert Mugabe.

The President outlined the objectives of the new government, the scrapping of laws based on racial discrimination and plans to improve the life of the country’s poor. The country would be non-aligned and seek friendly co-existence with its neighbours.

He also addressed the assurance that European farmers would not be chased off their lands but maintained that a land resettlement programme would be launched.

Commemorative Covers

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1983 – Last Day of Validity of Rhodesian Stamps

Last Day of Validity of Rhodesian Stamps

16 October 1983

On 16 October 1983 postage stamps bearing the name Rhodesia became invalidated for use in Zimbabwe. Rhodesia was first introduced as a name on postage stamps in 1909, marking 74 years of the use of the name for postal purposes.

Commemorative Covers

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1980 – Zimbabwe International Trade Fair

Zimbabwe International Trade Fair

3-11 May 1980

In 1980, the Zimbabwe Rhodesia International Trade Fair became the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair. The management was taken on by the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair Company.

The fair was held at Bulawayo and had over 100 permanent buildings, pavilions and halls over 29ha, attracting foreign and African interests.

Commemorative Covers

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1980 – First Day of Zimbabwe

First Day of Zimbabwe

18 April 1980

Zimbabwe-Rhodesia gained official independence as Zimbabwe on 18 April 1980.

The Government held independence celebrations in Rufaro stadium in Salisbury. Lord Christopher Soames, the last Governor of Southern Rhodesia, watched as Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, gave a farewell salute and the Rhodesian Signal Corps played “God Save the Queen”.

Many foreign dignitaries also attended, including Prime Minister Indira Gandhi of India, President Shehu Shagari of Nigeria, President Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia, President Seretse Khama of Botswana, and Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser of Australia, representing the Commonwealth of Nations. Bob Marley sang ‘Zimbabwe’, a song he wrote, at the government’s invitation in a concert at the country’s independence festivities.

Commemorative Covers

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Monomatapa Hotel

Monomatapa Hotel

Harare

Construction on The Monomatapa Hotel was opened in 1974 and was designed by Roy Densem of Roy Densem & Partners Architects. It has a unique crescent-shaped frontage that overlooks Harare Gardens. It was originally managed by Southern Sun Hotel Corporation (Pty) Ltd and later Meikles Southern Sun, then Zimbabwe Sun Limited. The hotel is currently under the management of African Suns Limited.

The hotel was called the Monomatapa when it was first opened. It contained a number of dining and drinking venues such as Prospectors, Bali Hai, The 12 000 Horsemen, The Homestead and others. In the early 2000s the hotel hosted for a time a well-known restaurant that moved in from the suburbs called Le Francais.

The hotel underwent renovations in 1997. Branding has changed too, with the hotel becoming Crowne Plaza Monomotapa in the 1990s and, more recently, becoming the Monomotapa again (but with new spelling). Management of the hotel was franchised out to Legacy Hotels of South Africa in 2015 but this was terminated in 2019. 

Events

Postcards

References

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1991 – Royal Visit

Royal Visit

10-16 October 1991

In 1991, the Queen Elizabeth II made a Royal Visit to Zimbabwe when the country hosted the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.

Commemorative Covers

A commemorative cover was produced by The Royal Airforces Association on behalf of the Eagle Lodge Appeal. Some covers were specially numbered up to No.798.

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1992 – Durham County Cricket Club Tour

Durham County Cricket Club Tour

3-24 February 1992

Durham County Cricket Club (rebranded as Durham Cricket in February 2019) is one of eighteen first-class county clubs within the domestic cricket structure of England and Wales. It represents the historic county of Durham.

Founded in 1882, Durham held minor status for over a century and was a prominent member of the Minor Counties Championship, winning the competition seven times. In 1992, the club joined the County Championship and the team was elevated to senior status as an official first-class team. Durham has been classified as an occasional List A team from 1964, then as a full List A team from 1992; and as a senior Twenty20 team since the format’s introduction in 2003.

During the 1991/1992 season the club undertook a tour of Zimbabwe.

  • 3 Feb – Zimbabwe vs Durham – Harare South County Club
  • 4 Feb – Zimbabwe vs Durham – Alexandra Sports Club
  • 8 Feb – Zimbabwe Country Districts vs Durham – Harare South County Club
  • 9 Feb – Zimbabwe XI vs Durham – Harare Sports Club
  • 11 Feb – Manicaland Select XI vs Durham – Mutare Sports Club
  • 23 Feb – Zimbabwe XI vs Durham – Bulawayo Athletics Club
  • 24 Feb – Zimbabwe XI vs Durham – Bulawayo Athletics Club

Commemorative Covers

A limited edition cover was produced in a batch of 40 to commemorate the event.

References

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1994 – Zimbabwe International Trade Fair

Zimbabwe International Trade Fair

26 April – 2 May 1994

The 1994 Zimbabwe International Trade Fair coincided with Bulawayo’s Centenary. The slogan of this year’s fair was Africa’s No.1.

Cinderellas

1988 – Rotary Goodwill Conference

Rotary Goodwill Conference

11-13 March 1988

In March 1988, the Presidential Goodwill Conference and Second Conference for the Development for Africa was held in Harare, Zimbabwe. The conferences were held at the Harare International Conference Centre. The theme of the conference was A Path for Peace: Cooperation between African Nations.

Three main subjects were discussed during the conference:

  • Problems seen locally
  • What is Rotary doing in and for Africa, and
  • What are other non-governmental organisations doing in and for Africa.

Solutions to basic human problems such as hunger, housing and employment were also discussed.

Postcards

References

  • 1988 Proceedings: Seventy-Ninth Annual Convention of Rotary International

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1989 – Zimbabwe International Trade Fair

Zimbabwe International Trade Fair

30 April – 6 May 1989

The 1989 Zimbabwe International Trade Fair was held at Bulawayo between 30 April – 6 May. The fair attracted over 200,000 people visitors and 800 exhibitors. The slogan for this year’s fair was Africa’s Best Seller.

Cinderellas

Contributors
  • Geoff Brakspear
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