Mbizi Police Post: From Instrument of Colonial Control to National Heritage Asset

CDE Leopold Takawira was arrested and processed through Mbizi Police Post in 1964 (image source)

HARARE — Tucked within the densely populated suburb of Highfields, Mbizi Police Post stands as an unassuming colonial-era structure whose walls carry the weight of Zimbabwe’s liberation history. Now formally nominated for National Monument status, the site is emerging as a significant symbol of historical memory, justice and national identity.

Built in December 1973, Mbizi Police Post was originally constructed to serve the British South African Police (BSAP) during the final years of colonial rule. Archival records from the City of Harare Highfields District Office show that the 4 074-square-metre complex comprised an administrative police facility and a separate male-and-female detention block. During this period, the post functioned as a centre of surveillance, detention and control in one of Salisbury’s most politically active townships.

The site is closely associated with the nationalist struggle. Prominent liberation figures, including the late former President Robert Mugabe, Enos Nkala, Leopold Takawira and Herbert Chitepo, were among those detained at Mbizi. The police post became synonymous with the enforcement of repressive colonial laws such as the Law-and-Order Maintenance Act and the Industrial Conciliation Act, which curtailed African political participation, labour rights and economic mobility.

Heritage experts involved in the nomination process argue that Mbizi’s significance extends beyond the detention of well-known leaders. It also represents the everyday experiences of repression endured by ordinary residents of Highfields. Men and women were frequently detained for attending political meetings, organising locally or being perceived as sympathetic to nationalist causes. Highfields itself was a central hub of political mobilisation, and Mbizi Police Post played a direct role in suppressing that activity.

Public consultations conducted as part of the nomination indicate strong community support for preserving the site. Long-term residents described Mbizi as both a place of suffering and resistance, calling for its transformation into a learning space for future generations. Suggestions included the establishment of a small exhibition documenting Highfields’ contribution to the liberation struggle and situating the police post within the broader national narrative.

Comparisons have been drawn with other former detention centres such as Harare Central Prison, Chikurubi Maximum Prison, WhaWha Prison and Khami Prison, all of which are widely recognised for their historical importance. Analysts note that Mbizi’s location within a residential township gives it particular interpretive value, linking national history directly to everyday urban life.

Structurally, the main administrative building remains intact and is still in use, while the former detention block has deteriorated after years of disuse. Doors, plumbing and fittings require rehabilitation, and sections of the perimeter fence have collapsed, raising concerns about long-term preservation if protective measures are not put in place.

If approved, National Monument status would place Mbizi Police Post under the protection of the National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe, limiting unauthorised alterations and bringing the site under formal heritage management in terms of the NMMZ Act (Chapter 25:11). Beyond conservation, the nomination represents an effort to reclaim a painful historical space and transform it into a site of remembrance, civic education and historical accountability.