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Mosi-oa-Tunya or Vic Falls - Live Discussion

(19 March 1813 – 1 May 1873)
by Moyo Roy
17 Dec 2013 at 03:53hrs | Views
The world famous Victoria Falls was named in honour of Queen Victoria by Scottish Scottish missionary and explorer David Livingstone.

David Livingstone is believed to have been the first European to view Victoria Falls on 16 November 1855 from what is now known as Livingstone Island, one of two land masses in the middle of the river, immediately upstream from the falls on the Zambian side.

Livingstone named his discovery in honour of Queen Victoria, but the indigenous name, Mosi-oa-Tunya - "the smoke that thunders" - continues in common usage as well.

Zanu-PF's committee on sports, culture, religion and liberation war heritage made the resolution to rename the great water falls at the party's annual conference which ended in Chinhoyi on Saturday.

Chombo said: "Institutions bearing colonial names must be changed and be given indigenous names . . . School syllabuses must also change."

Why did David Livingstone rename 'the smoke that thunders' after his Queen?
What was wrong with the name that the locals had used for ages?
Should we rename to its original name?




  • Admin

    17 Dec 2013 at 15:38hrs

    Thank you all for taking part in this discussion. This Live Update has been closed but you can still comment at the bottom.

  • Anonymous user

    17 Dec 2013 at 15:17hrs

    we cannot do so entirely on our own. because remember we are sharing the Falls with our counter parts Zambia. The City you can go ahead and waste your resources meeting at hotels and spending money on renaming which will not help in building houses for people. Chombo there the country is facing bigger challenges which you have to address. .

  • Anonymous user

    17 Dec 2013 at 15:11hrs

    there is nothing wrong in changing the name,but who is going to meet the cost of changing letterheads for companies,also think of the cost of changing fliers,menu cards,t shirts,television and newspaper adverts,web sites,logos,etc

  • Mysterious

    17 Dec 2013 at 15:08hrs

    if we erase colonial names will we ever kno that we were colonised at the end of the day. Some memories have to left as is so that we wont forget what we went through.

  • Thunalengane

    17 Dec 2013 at 15:06hrs

    Ngumsuzo wodwa bonke abalamaga esilungu abatshintshe makunjalo,ngamasimba wodwa ke lawa why lithanda ukudlala ngabantu So???

  • Unknown

    17 Dec 2013 at 15:04hrs

    I think Chombo has to focus on building more houses and halving the housing backlog of cities and prioritise the core duties of his ministry than to spending his time planning and precious scarce resources on our fiscus for renaming the CIty. he should start with his own television model he owns or suburb where he lives in.

  • mgaxa

    17 Dec 2013 at 14:26hrs

    f**k zanu and its policies....very soon evry1 with an English name will b indignised..these ministers children learn abroad bt they want to change the syllabus so dat the poor suffer and r indoctrinated with zanu doctrines...to hell w zanu....adress the issues of poverty, unemployment, the economy,,,HIV and Aids, hunger and corruption

  • Mkha

    17 Dec 2013 at 14:02hrs

    Guys lets thnk objective,both names r gud&user friendly 2 locals,foreigns as wel as e future generation.ol brand names dd,do&wl always do e job 2 advertise e place.wht u r nw doing z 2 fyt whites&nt being civil.we r way past thru tht stage gud pple.as 4 nw,lets try deal w e pressing economic issues.as i speak ryt nw,im degreed hoping 2 tc care of my parents bt i cnt bcz of u guys who r majoring n minors&minor'g n majors...plz guys,lets fyts against ths hatred 4 whites.

  • Godknows Masonganyoka Sibanda

    17 Dec 2013 at 13:56hrs

    As a tenet of devolution of power and a Pan Africanist,I'm very supportive of that but it is not going to yield any change to our ailing economy.It beats me that our legislators spend much time debating on less trivial things ignoring the important.Yes its going to be a victory to the Tonga/Nambya and everyone and a huge defeat to the proud British,however that is not the change that we all need.We need real change not just names.

  • Godknows Masonganyoka Sibanda

    17 Dec 2013 at 13:55hrs

    As a tenet of devolution of power and a Pan Africanist,I'm very supportive of that but it is not going to yield any change to our ailing economy.It beats me that our legislators spend much time debating on less trivial things ignoring the important.Yes its going to be a victory to the Tonga/Nambya and everyone and a huge defeat to the proud British,however that is not the change that we all need.We need real change not just names.

  • Skhokho (once more)

    17 Dec 2013 at 13:53hrs

    First change the mames of the Victoria Falls residents

  • balo balo bj

    17 Dec 2013 at 13:53hrs

    i think they are wasting energy on wrong things coz are more concerned how will they uplift our living standards servants salaries instead ,first they should make sure the old are well look after plus hospitals like mpilo are well equiped and so on zvimwe izvo nxaa

  • Mandebele

    17 Dec 2013 at 13:40hrs

    Concertrate on better things,like raising the starndad living of people,opening companies in the country that has closed,give the pple of lupane and tsholotsho food coz there's draught,pliz leave Victoria falls alone,ngumbhedo lowo

  • Muyangeni dube

    17 Dec 2013 at 13:19hrs

    African names ka1....lets do it african way....they do it nobody askd they so why we?

  • Nyari K

    17 Dec 2013 at 13:13hrs

    @SMoyo it is really far overdue. Queen Victory wanted the rest of Africa named after her ngabona, everywhere Victoria, Victoria aah! nxa mani! change the name and bopha anyone who still uses it in Zim

  • S Moyo

    17 Dec 2013 at 13:07hrs

    Name change for Victoria Falls is far overdue.

  • Nyari K

    17 Dec 2013 at 13:05hrs

    What David Livingstone did is called Branding, ngesiNdebele ngumtshiso. That name should have been changed kuda vele, how come Great Zimbabwe was changed and tourist still go there. Remember changing the name is part of development as well. British wanted everything good named after them - Please bring back Mosi-oa-Tunya the real name not Victoria

  • Anonymous user

    17 Dec 2013 at 13:03hrs



    Minister start with yo own name n leave vic falls as it is

  • muzi

    17 Dec 2013 at 12:58hrs

    can we put people with brains please to run the country. all these old people needs to rest, they cant think now. brains are old, after thirty years you are still blaming colonialism, you are very stupid minister, changing the name wont bring jobs to Zim, but changing the old guards will give development, don't get me wrong zanu-pf can stay but maglazana need to step down. uyophumula nini niyamuhlupha lomadhara wenu1

  • Nxaaaaa NXAAAA

    17 Dec 2013 at 12:57hrs

    Mosi Oa Tunya is Nambya/Tonga , so , are we saying that Nambya/Tonga is not a zim language , nxaa, so we must also change the name of Chinotimba township to suit the local Nambiya /Tonga language in VICTORIA FALLS coz that sounds foreign to me

  • R N Mathe

    17 Dec 2013 at 12:41hrs

    minister please leave names alone, why don't you change your name to Shona or Ndebele first. we want jobs, you guys are old, you cant think give the country to young ones we will look after you guys as our parents

  • Muellase

    17 Dec 2013 at 12:40hrs

    as long kungasi sitshona sikhathele ngamazimu la.uzabezwa sebesithi bulawayo maka tyitywe

  • keys

    17 Dec 2013 at 12:36hrs

    amagama awasizi lutho okufunekayo yidevelopment, then names after

  • Canaan

    17 Dec 2013 at 12:23hrs

    I think we better name it with a Chinese Name.How do you see it,coz we don't want anything accosiated with white.But chinese name sound ok.Names Like Zong fall,Chung falls.or Gardaffi fall

  • Alois Guzha

    17 Dec 2013 at 12:12hrs

    I know when these madharas in politics start things they dont usually reverse even if its wrong. If the name has to change they should consult the Tonga and Nambia clan thay live within the falls. Kwete Chinotimba or other..

  • Ngoma Lungundu

    17 Dec 2013 at 12:09hrs

    The name definitely has to change, but it is the timing that is wrong. with pressing economic issue at hand, to find ministers discussing trivial things like this is real disgusting. lets talk about the right things at the right time; cash crunch, unemployment, health issues, etc - until to such a time we are ready for such crap

  • Godknows Masonganyoka Sibanda

    17 Dec 2013 at 11:52hrs

    A very good move,however they must stop majoring on the minor.Local names are the way to go and there must be homogeneity,Chinotimba is not local and sounds very Bhuhera to be precise.Conformity is a necessity,they must follow suit!!!!!

  • Ndibilitshi

    17 Dec 2013 at 11:52hrs

    Asilani namagama thina sifuna imigwaqo itshintswe kususwe le eyatshiywa ngu D I Smith isimidala kufakwe ithara entsha.

  • Ndzimu-unami Emmanuel Moyo

    17 Dec 2013 at 11:48hrs

    How about we start right at the top. "Robert Gabriel" doesn't sound "indigenous". I guess we should change that first.

  • Mlandeli

    17 Dec 2013 at 11:38hrs

    Guys it is already called Mosi-oa-Tunya/Victoria Falls, in Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park. Are they trying to change the city name or falls name?

  • didu mvelase

    17 Dec 2013 at 11:35hrs

    Cheap talk sibili, how is it gonna help our struggling economy and the citizens of Zimbabwe?

  • robiza

    17 Dec 2013 at 11:25hrs

    Diverting to nation from real issues of employment creation , medicine and indaba yebonus abasithembisa yona . Manje siya yifuna thina

  • kaizer

    17 Dec 2013 at 11:23hrs

    thats good, we want indegineous names. Is chinotimba a local name?

  • Anonymous user

    17 Dec 2013 at 11:12hrs

    There is nothing wrong with sticking to the name Victoria falls, changing it or not will not add or subtract anything to one of the greatest wonders of the earth. I will go for Victoria Fall

  • mlandeli

    17 Dec 2013 at 11:12hrs

    UNESCO refers to it as Mosi-oa-Tunya/Victoria Falls http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/509

  • Sayitsheni

    17 Dec 2013 at 11:08hrs

    Aaaaaah Mr Roy kodwa lawe uyabona mfethu ukuthi abantu laba sebefuna ukwenza wrong.

  • luluh

    17 Dec 2013 at 11:05hrs

    can't we leave as Vic falls and look whts important siyafa ngedlala njalö akusoze kwaletha amathuba omsebenzi kabaqale begcwalise izithembiso zabo sokukunengi kakhulu abasithembisa sakhona .

  • Skhokho

    17 Dec 2013 at 11:05hrs

    Please let the original name flow, unless you also can change the direction of water in Zambezi then you can change the name of the town

  • Moyo Roy

    17 Dec 2013 at 10:58hrs

    Please note that if you use offensive words your contribution to this discussion will be removed

  • mandlenkosi dube

    17 Dec 2013 at 10:57hrs

    hlukana leVictoria Falls

  • mandlenkosi dube

    17 Dec 2013 at 10:55hrs

    abantu bayafa ezibhedlela imithi yayikho yokubasiza lina ngoba liyasutha lithola konke yikho okwenza licabange njengengane so

  • Tororo ksGatsheni

    17 Dec 2013 at 10:52hrs

    THAT IS VICTORIA FALLS

  • mudzimu mukuru

    17 Dec 2013 at 10:50hrs

    Mosi-oa-tunya is the original name,it must be restored,...not some queen's name,of which no one knows!it is an African wonder,if it's used to honour someone,he/she must be African.

  • Gayigusu

    17 Dec 2013 at 10:41hrs

    Ngumsangano lokho ngeke kusinike lutho thina khulumani ngokuthuthukisa ilizwe . Sifuna imisebenzi , sifuna ukusizwa singabantu abatsha.

  • Tororo kaGatsheni

    17 Dec 2013 at 10:39hrs

    All u know is corruption, stealing people's monies stop this nonsense we are sick and tired of u. The name is fine and we like it, want it

  • Bhoza

    17 Dec 2013 at 10:38hrs

    Priorities first food,education ,employment. ,healthy facilities. ,infrastructure. , wealthy and we can think about other things. Our present environment can accommodate all this viva Falls

  • Bhoza

    17 Dec 2013 at 10:37hrs

    Priorities first food,education ,employment. ,healthy facilities. ,infrastructure. , wealthy and we can think about other things. Our present environment can accommodate all this viva Falls

  • bv mdluli

    17 Dec 2013 at 10:26hrs

    why did u change that in 1980 and u wait for 33yrs......lets be pragmatic they are more urgent and pressing issues to be addressed -unemployment,companies closing down after all these people who send their children to learn in UK but here they are talking about syllabus change why can't we build from there than wanting to destroy everything and start from zero

  • mmuntu

    17 Dec 2013 at 10:26hrs

    it has to be mosi ou thunya to honour the local people in that area

  • Tsatsa

    17 Dec 2013 at 10:25hrs

    Ths is stupidity change of names wont bring employment, good health care centres yibulema +its expensive to change the maps and the sign posts imali ye matebeleland iyadliwa eharare guys maseliluphele step down lisinike amathuba

  • nqo

    17 Dec 2013 at 10:23hrs

    Let us start at individual level and indeginise our names.

  • nqo

    17 Dec 2013 at 10:20hrs

    Lets discuss bread and butter issues first. We need to revive industry and agriculture.

  • Abatwani Sebata

    17 Dec 2013 at 10:06hrs

    Our policy, is to develop,employ,indigenise.if that has to do with the above lets do it.

  • mike

    17 Dec 2013 at 10:05hrs

    as usual they are trying to distract u from the real issues. Changing the name of a town will not create employment, improve healthcare, education

    To @sepelong changing the name comes with costs eg signs will have to be replaced like at the airport and as far as im concerned this govt has no money

  • Bhoza

    17 Dec 2013 at 09:48hrs

    Victoria Falls .Why should we change the name. It has to come from from Matebeleland especially in Victoria Falls.Develop the country please not this rubbish

  • Sepelong Makwati Sebola

    17 Dec 2013 at 09:47hrs

    I support the m on this one, Mosi oa Tunya must be restored, some say it wil impact negatively on tourism, well I say come not to view the name but the great falls that smokes thunders n rain, it is the real miracle not some Victoria name.

  • Moyo Roy

    17 Dec 2013 at 09:38hrs

    Lets Discuss!