Renaming Zimbabwe: Examining the Process Immediately after Independence and in the Aftermath of the 2017 Political Transition

Renaming places is not just a modern phenomenon, but a practice that has occurred throughout history, underscoring the link between power and spatial cognition. In Zimbabwe, the naming and renaming process reflects radical shifts in political power dynamics from colonial rule to independence in 1980, to the political transition in 2017. After Zimbabwe's independence in 1980, a concerted effort was made by the new government to eradicate the colonial legacy and "reconstruct" national identity through place-name transformations. As argued by historians and geographers such as Richard Ngwerume and Innocent Pikirayi, post-independence place renaming in Zimbabwe was a strategy to advance the nationalist agenda, restore African cultural heritage, affirm sovereignty, and establish a new sense of belonging among the populace. Places that held colonial nomenclatures, like Salisbury, which became Harare, and Southern Rhodesia, which was renamed Zimbabwe, were replaced by local names as part of the decolonization effort. This renaming process was utilized to reshape national narratives and assert post-colonial power, often involving dialogue or contention among diverse regional, ethnic, and class factions. The political transition in Zimbabwe in 2017 did not lead to any immediate widespread renaming process as seen in 1980, but the process of place renaming is usually gradual and particularly effective when there’s a need to reinforce new political dispensations. However, certain notable instances following major political events, such as the renaming of Harare International Airport to Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport, suggest a similar intention to signify shifts in power, tribute the contributions of certain individuals, or to reflect newly established political imperatives. According to scholars like Alderman (2008) and Rose-Redwood (2008), place renaming is a common practice by new political regimes as a way to symbolize breaks with the past and the ushering in of the new political order. Place renaming impacts landscape and language, signaling changes in power structures, ideological shifts, or cultural transitions. Tohraiboff (1996) writes, "the naming of places is a political act, and names selected for places carry cultural, historical, and political meanings." Similarly, irrespective of the general time and place, renaming processes help project the visions, objectives, and historical viewpoints of the ruling governments onto the geography of their jurisdiction, reinforcing their authority and shifting narratives to establish their own identities. Such changes serve to shape public memory, develop new collective identities, or realign a nation's heritage and values. For these reasons and more, renaming places historically has been and continues to be a significant aspect of political regimes worldwide.