16-412: Matabeleland North is a province in western Zimbabwe . With a population of 827,645 as of the 2022 census, it is the country's second-least populous province, after Matabeleland South , and the least densely Zimbabwean populated province. Matabeleland North and Matabeleland South were established in 1974, when the original Matabeleland Province was bifurcated, eventually losing territory in 1997 when
32-628: A new proposed constitution after a constitutional outreach program. The new constitution was presented to Parliament on 5 February 2013 and subsequently approved in the referendum of 16 March 2013. Parliament approved it on 9 May 2013 and President Robert Mugabe gave it his assent on 22 May 2013. Certain provisions of the Constitution (principally the Declaration of Rights and provisions for presidential and parliamentary elections) came into operation on 22 May 2013, when Act 1 of 2013
48-462: Is a unitary state , and its provinces exercise only the powers that the central government chooses to delegate. Provinces are divided into districts , which are divided into wards . The Constitution of Zimbabwe delineates provincial governance and powers. After constitutional amendments in 1988, provinces were administered by a governor directly appointed by the President of Zimbabwe . Since
64-532: Is a part of, is characterized by generally inhospitable land when compared to other parts of Zimbabwe. It has lower rainfall than provinces such as Mashonaland , and is plagued by water scarcity in general. The land is also less fertile than other provinces, as commercial crops cannot be grown and rural farmers usually cannot produce enough maize to feed their families. However, during the colonial era, large numbers of cattle ranches were formed and cattle ranching has proved to be more successful than growing crops in
80-496: The 2013 constitutional changes , there are technically no longer provincial governors, though in practice they remain in place as Ministers of State for Provincial Affairs. The 2013 Constitution also calls for the devolution of governmental powers and responsibilities where appropriate, though Zimbabwean opposition parties argue that the central government has yet to comply. With the establishment of Company rule in Rhodesia in
96-536: The Kalahari Basin , giving it an arid climate. Its economy is dominated by agriculture, with 83% of employed people in the province working as farmers. Cattle ranching and tourism also contribute to the economy. The Zimbabwean side of Victoria Falls , a World Heritage Site and major tourist attraction, is located in Matabeleland North. The region of Matabeleland , of which Matabeleland North
112-467: The 1890s, the country was divided into two provinces: Matabeleland in the west and Mashonaland in the east. Under British colonial rule as Southern Rhodesia , the colony was divided into five provinces. Later, the Rhodesian government expanded the number of provinces to seven: Manicaland , Matabeleland North and South , Mashonaland North and South, Midlands , and Victoria (today Masvingo ). In
128-415: The 1980s, Mashonaland North and South were reorganized to become three provinces ( Mashonaland Central , East and West ). The youngest provinces, Bulawayo and Harare , were created in 1997. 5.Zimbabwe census2012 https://www.citypopulation.de/Zimbabwe-Cities.html Constitution of Zimbabwe The Constitution of Zimbabwe is the supreme law of Zimbabwe . The independence constitution of 1980
144-603: The MDC won a total of eight seats from the Matabeleland North delegation to the House of Assembly , while ZANU-PF won four seats and one other seat was won by an independent. In the Senate , the MDC won a combined five seats and ZANU-PF won one seat. Provinces of Zimbabwe Provinces are constituent political entities of Zimbabwe . Zimbabwe currently has ten provinces , two of which are cities with provincial status. Zimbabwe
160-792: The Sixth Schedule to the Constitution. Some of the new constitution's clauses, however, do not take effect for 10 years. In 2021, disability rights were codified into the Constitution through the National Disability Policy, which was drafted by Senator Rejoice Timire and the United Nations Partnership on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities . Sch 6, par 14 of the Constitution states: - "Special provision for election and tenure of first President and appointment of Vice-Presidents" Section 97 of
176-507: The city of Bulawayo became a province in its own right. Matabeleland North is divided into seven districts, has its capital in Lupane , and Victoria Falls and Hwange its largest towns. The name "Matabeleland" is derived from the Matabele or Ndebele people, the province's largest ethnic group. Matabeleland North is bordered by Matabeleland South and Bulawayo to the south, Midlands to
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#1732772624469192-456: The east, Mashonaland West to the northeast, Botswana to the west, and Zambia to the north, which is separated from Zimbabwe by the Zambezi river. Matabeleland North has an area of 75,025 square kilometres (28,967 sq mi), amounting to 19.2% of the total area of Zimbabwe. In terms of area, it is the largest of the country's ten provinces. Matabeleland North is located on the edge of
208-451: The most famous geographic feature of Matebeleland North is Victoria Falls , the world's largest waterfalls that are located on the Zambezi river on the northern border of the province. Matabeleland North is divided into 7 districts: The region is regarded as a very independent region when it comes to politics. In the most recent parliamentary election held in March 2008, both factions of
224-606: The province. The upper reaches of the Nata River flow through Matabeleland North before entering Botswana to discharge to the Makgadikgadi Pans . The region does have a significant amount of other resources like gold, limestone, methane gas, coal, and timber. As seen in Hwange National Park , Zimbabwe's largest game reserve, the area is also known for its substantial wildlife population. However,
240-534: Was published. That date was the “publication day” as defined in paragraph 1 of the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution. The provisions that came into operation then are set out in paragraph 3 of that Schedule. The rest of the Constitution came into operation on 22 August 2013, when the President was sworn in after the first elections following the Act's assent; this date is the “effective date” as defined in paragraph 1 of
256-546: Was the result of the 1979 Lancaster House Agreement and is sometimes called the Lancaster Constitution . A proposed constitution, drafted by a constitutional convention , was defeated by a constitutional referendum during 2000 . In practice, the 2008 power-sharing deal provided the structure for much of the government. The three political parties in Zimbabwe, ZANU-PF , MDC-T and MDC-N negotiated
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