Binga District**** (Binga District**** ) is a district of Zimbabwe in southern Africa. It is located in Matabeleland North just south of Kariba Lake, across the lake from Zambia It lies along the southern Zambezi Escarpment. The Tonga people inhabit the area.

Boundaries

Binga District is an area of land bounded by a line drawn from;

Administrative divisions, constituencies and people

There are twenty-one wards in the district, which is divided into two parliamentary constituencies: Binga North Constituency with twelve wards and South Binga Constituency with nine wards. The separate constituencies were created in 2008. Joel Gabuza is MP for Binga South while Prince Dubeko Sibanda presides over Binga North. Among the areas in Binga North Constituency are: Chizarira, Siabuwa, Cheete, Siansundu, Siantula, Mujere and Manjolo.

Settlements

The town of Binga is the largest settlement. It lies on the south eastern shore of Lake Kariba. Most of it was constructed to rehouse the BaTonga people whose homeland was flooded by the creation of the Kariba reservoir in the late 1950s. The Chibwatatata Hot Springs lie near the town at what is known as Rest Camp area. It is a prime tourist area and was previously a shrine for local Tonga people under the leadership of one Maalila. Maalila was possessed by mpande (muzimu wamvula). He led rainmaking ceremonies at the hot springs. There are also settlements under the following areas and chiefs: • Chief Binga • Chief Dobola • Chief Saba • Chief Sikalenge • Chief Sikalenge • Chief Simupa Village • Chief Sinakooma • Chief Sinampande • Chief Sinakatenge Village • Chief Sinansengwe • Chief Siansaali Village • Impampa • James • Kabulawu • Kariyangwe • Lubimbi • Lusulu • Manjolo • Matinka • Mlibizi • Pashu • Saba • Siabuwa • Siamunchembu • Tinde • Zyakamana Village (Zikamanus)

Economy and development

Binga District is a rural district that is significantly underdeveloped, with only gravel roads, which are car hostile especially during the rainy season. It is also one of the most sparsely populated districts of the country. Binga District is famous for its growing of cannabis, known locally as dagga or mbanje. The consumption of cannabis in the Binga District has been described as traditional since pre-colonial times, and is considered by people from without to be an integral part of the Tonga culture. However, it must be pointed out that consumption of cannabis is often considered a devious pursuit especially, since 1955, in light of federal laws to control the importation, exportation, production, possession, sale, distribution and use of dangerous drugs, despite its use as a traditional medicine. There is a wrong impression among people from the rest of Zimbabwe that people from Binga are legally entitled to plant, harvest, process and smoke cannabis freely. Recently, the ministry of primary and secondary education of Zimbabwe has been caught offside following the publication of a secondary level textbooks for the new subject of Total Heritage Studies. It was immediately gathered that some of the contents was seen as reinforcing stereotypes held against Tonga people. For instance, the authors Mashaar S and BB Matseketsa plagiarized Tongan Kingdom courtship and passed it as Zimbabwe Tonga culture without verification and in another section they insinuate that Tonga culture accepts incest as a marriage enhancing activity. All this had been disputed by Tonga people and many have seen the new subject and content as carelessly written or is meant promote Shona supremacy. While the issue is still undergoing debate, indications are that Tonga people will petition the Permanent Secretary in the ministry of education for the retraction of the approved textbook and allowing native Tonga input.

Notes and references