Heritage as Economy: How Mbizi Police Post Fits into Zimbabwe’s Township Tourism Strategy

Mbizi Police Post’s nomination as a National Monument highlights Zimbabwe’s push toward township-based heritage tourism (image source)

HARARE — As Zimbabwe seeks to diversify its tourism offering beyond wildlife and resort destinations, heritage sites embedded within urban townships are gaining renewed strategic attention. The nomination of Mbizi Police Post in Highfields for National Monument status illustrates how liberation heritage is increasingly being positioned as an economic and developmental asset.

Policy planners involved in the process describe Mbizi as a potential pilot for “township heritage tourism,” an approach that integrates heritage institutions, local authorities and surrounding communities to generate inclusive economic value. The model aligns the National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe (NMMZ), the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority and municipal stakeholders around historically significant sites located within lived urban spaces rather than isolated conservation zones.

Mbizi Police Post occupies a strategic position in old Highfields, a suburb long associated with political mobilisation, cultural expression and nationalist leadership. The area is already home to sites such as Cyril Jennings Hall, which hosted key political meetings during the liberation era. Heritage specialists argue that linking Mbizi with these landmarks into a coherent heritage route could strengthen domestic tourism, educational visits and diaspora engagement.

Development objectives outlined in the nomination dossier, seen by Southerton Business Times, place strong emphasis on community participation. Proposed activities include guided tours, heritage exhibitions, on-site education programmes and youth-led interpretation initiatives. If implemented, these could create small-scale enterprise opportunities in guiding, crafts, performance and hospitality within Highfields itself.

The dossier also frames heritage preservation as a youth empowerment tool. By situating liberation history within everyday township environments, planners aim to deepen historical awareness while creating employment pathways linked to culture and tourism. Officials involved argue that this approach supports national priorities around youth development, identity formation and social cohesion.

Significant investment will, however, be required to realise this potential. While the main administrative building remains structurally sound, the former detention cell complex has deteriorated, with damaged floors, broken plumbing and missing fittings. Sections of the perimeter fence have also collapsed, raising concerns around security and controlled visitor access.

Once gazetted as a National Monument, Mbizi Police Post would be listed on the Northern Region Historic Buildings Register and fall under NMMZ oversight. Any alterations would require formal approval, a framework intended to balance commercial use with the protection of historical integrity while allowing adaptive reuse for tourism and education.

Comparative assessments place Mbizi alongside former detention centres such as Chikurubi and WhaWha prisons, which are widely recognised for their historical importance. What distinguishes Mbizi is its location within a residential township, making it a practical test case for community-anchored heritage tourism. As Zimbabwe’s tourism strategy increasingly emphasises cultural depth and authenticity, Mbizi Police Post offers an opportunity to convert difficult history into structured economic participation. The challenge now lies in moving from nomination to investment, and from remembrance to sustainable value creation.