Tizirai Annas Gwata (born March 1943) is a medical doctor and politician who served as the first black mayor of Harare, from 1981 to 1984.
He retired from political life at the end of his term as mayor in 1985, choosing to focus full time on his medical practice and farming.
[1] He had to leave mid-term in 1966 when the university closed temporarily due to political demonstrations on campus and many black students at the time left to join the liberation struggle.
[4] Most notably, he announced plans to change the capital city's name from Salisbury, which he described as "foreign", to Harare, after the African chief who ruled the area when the first white settlers arrived in 1890.
[5][7][9] The city was officially renamed in 1982, after working with the national government to resolve the issue of who would pay for associated costs, like changes in signage.
[10] As mayor, Gwata had to contend with an exodus of white municipal employees, which was particularly impactful where vacancies for skilled technical and administrative posts could not be immediately filled.
[11] In response, Gwata made a statement affirming that municipal employees in Harare are selected without racial or political considerations.
[13] The treated refuse was then directed back into the rivers flowing into Lake Chivero, augmenting the city's water supply.