Chegutu, originally known as Hartley, is a town in Mashonaland West Province, Zimbabwe.
Location
The town is located in Chegutu District, Mashonaland West, in central northern Zimbabwe. It lies in the Hartley Hills southwest of the capital Harare at an altitude of above sea level.
Population
The 1982 population census recorded 19,621 inhabitants, The population was estimated at 36,000 in 2002. By 2012 it had grown to 50,590 inhabitants.
Transportation
Chegutu lies on the A5 highway between Harare and Bulawayo. It is also on the railway line between the two cities. Secondary roads link it to Chinhoyi, Chakari, and the Mhondoro communal lands and Msengezi small-scale commercial farms.
Banking facilities include CABS, CBZ Limited, Stanbic, AgriBank, and Steward Bank.
Schools
There are ten primary schools in Chegutu: Bryden Country School, David Whitehead Primary School, Hartley Number 1 Primary School, Chinengundu Primary School, Chegutu Primary School, Kaguvi Primary School, Pfupajena Primary School, Our Lady of Sorrow Primary School, Hartley Number 2 Primary School, and St Francis Primary School; and four secondary schools offering up to advanced level: St Francis High School (Chegutu)|St Francis High School, Pfupajena High School, Adventist High School, and Chegutu High School.
Most of the schools are government-owned. The local municipality owns 2 primary schools; 3 schools are owned by the Catholic Church, St Francis Primary and Secondary owned by the Archdiocese of Harare, and Our Lady owned by the Catholic nuns of the order Our Lady of Sorrow. The Methodist Church in Zimbabwe owns one primary school, Chegutu Primary, and the Seventh-day Adventist Church owns one secondary school. There are also a number of privately owned colleges offering primary and secondary education, but some are registered while some are yet to be registered.
Suburbs
There are four high-density suburbs: Chinengundu, Pfupajena, Chegutu, and Kaguvi (Phase 1–4) and one medium-density suburb, Umvovo. Pfupajena is popularly known as "kumaPee" and Chegutu known as "kumaCee". To most people, Chinengundu suburb is known as Heroes and the other part as ZMDC as the mining giant had built its staff houses in the area.
The low-density suburbs are Hartley Hills, Hintonville, and Rifle Range.
Sporting facilities
There is one football stadium, Pfupajena Stadium, and one golf course which houses the Chegutu Country Club. The local municipality owns one swimming pool.
History
Before 1982, Chegutu was known as Hartley, named after Henry Hartley, an early hunter and explorer. The settlement of Hartley was originally located in the Hartley Hills east of where the town is located today. White settlers flocked to the area after gold was discovered and the Butterfly and Giant Mines were both established nearby. The settlement was moved to its present location in 1899. In 1901 the railway reached Hartley, which was proclaimed a village in 1903 and a town in 1942. A Town Council was established in 1968 and in 1974 Hartley was granted municipality status. In 1982 the town's name was officially changed to Chegutu.