With a Local: Harare, Zimbabwe

This With a Local supplies insider tips on things to do and see while visiting Harare, Zimbabwe.

Lorraine Muwuya lives in Harare and provides suggestions. She is a photojournalist who undertakes work for News of the South.

While visiting Masvingo I chatted with Lorraine, who provided her insights regarding things to do and see in the Zimbabwean capital:

Why should people visit Harare?

In my view, there’s a lot of activity in Harare…Harare is more of a business hub. It’s become a place where people from other cities and rural areas come looking for job opportunities.

I would go to meet the people of Harare. Zimbabweans are resilient people and have a very friendly manner.

Florist, Flowers, Africa Unity Square, Zimbabwe, Africa
A florist at work at a flower stall on Harare’s Africa Unity Square.

What is your favourite place in Harare?

There are a few places where I hang out with friends. I go to the National Gallery of Zimbabwe (20 Julius Nyerere Way), where I get quite a lot of insights in terms of our heritage. It’s a place where I chill out.

Where would you take a visitor for a drink?

I would take a visitor out of the CBD [Central Business District], so that they get a feel of what happens outside of the CBD. We have small setups around Harare. I would recommend we go to Highfields and see the ghetto life. See the guys there and have good conversations at Club Joy.

Church, Service, Cathedral of St Mary and All Saints, Harare, Zimbabwe
A service at the Cathedral of St Mary and All Saints in Harare.

Where would you take a guest for a meal?

There are quite a few African traditional cuisines around Harare. You can taste traditional food along Highfield Road.

My favourite dish is rice with peanut butter. There’s a special type of chicken that we call ‘the road runner’. They are not bred, like broilers, they are free-roaming. I really like that dish.

What is your favourite legend or piece of history from Harare?

One of the legends that I’ve fallen in love with is Clive Monu Mukundu. Clive is a guitarist. I’ve seen him mentoring young musicians to become professional artistes. In the arts industry, people normally think of themselves. Clive Monu Mukundu is a very humble man. He left Oliver Mtukudzi saying it was time for him to give back to his community. As of today, there are quite a lot of artistes who say ‘I came through the hands of Clive Monu Mukundu.’

If people have an extra day or two, where would you recommend near Harare?

There’s a place called the Doon Estate at Chapungu Village. There’s quite a lot of history, in terms of our national heritage. It’s not very far out of Harare. It’s 10 minutes to the CBD. There’s a lot of information and a lot of stuff you can buy, like curios.

Women, Food, Zimbabwe
Women with a tray of traditional Zimbabwean food in Harare.

Further information

Discover more about Harare on the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority website.

Illustrating photos are by Why Eye Photography. Why Eye Photography is based in the northeast of England and available for commissions across the United Kingdom and beyond for food, travel and portrait photography commissions.

Stuart Forster, the author of this post, can be commissioned to write food and travel features.

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2 Comments

  • Sam | North East Family Fun Travel Blog

    April 23, 2018 at 19:03 Reply

    I love how colourful Harare seems. I want to try a road runner chicken now!

    • Stuart Forster

      April 30, 2018 at 09:43 Reply

      One of the dishes that I tried while in Harare was the mopani worm, a type of caterpillar that lives in Zimbabwe’s mopani forests. They are served crisp on the outside, soft in the middle and spicy.

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