Lupane District: History
Although Lupane history has not been properly documented, the area is thought to have been occupied by the Tonga people who were pushed further up Northwards to present day Binga District by the arrival of King Mzilikazi during the establishment of the Ndebele Kingdom in Matabeleland. To this present day, the area is predominantly Ndebele speaking people, who were also ruled by King Lobengula after taking over from Mzilikazi. Two of Lobengula's counsellors, Magwegwe Fuyana and Mhlanga were buried in Lupane, Pupu area near Shangani River. Magwegwe Fuyane was the last of Lobengula's Kingdom equivalent to a Prime Minister by modern-day political language, Mhlanga was an aid de camp. Lupane residents participated in the Liberation War that lead to Zimbabwe Independence, April 1980, from white minority rule through the Political Party ZAPU of ZIPRA Liberation Armed Forces wing from 1960s. The area being a stronghold of ZAPU was not spared from Gukurahundi disturbances that occurred in the Matabeleland and Midlands areas in mid 1980s. In the 2000s, there have been cases of clashes of ever changing political stronghold landscape of MDC, with ZANU-PF. The Lupane State University was built in 2005, a notable feature to the modern history of Lupane together with the Bubi-Lupane Dam in 2010 on the Bubi River to supply water to Lupane District. A water treatment plant is also being built.