List of Zimbabweans
Writers
- Catherine Buckle
- Jacob Chikuhwa (born 1940)
- Shimmer Chinodya - winner of 1992 Commonwealth Writers' Prize
- Tsitsi Dangarembga (born 1959)
- Peter Godwin (born 1957)
- Chenjerai Hove (born 1956)
- Milton Kamwendo (born 1971) - leading motivational author and columnist [1]
- Adrian Magombedze (born 1982) - writer of college drama Up the Hill, co-writer of TV soap Estate Blues
- J. Nozipo Maraire (born 1966)
- Dambudzo Marechera (1952–1987) - one of the finest writers of yesteryear
- Alexander McCall Smith (born 1948) - Creator of the The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
- Charles Mungoshi (born 1947)
- Stanley Nyamfukudza (born 1951)
- Yvonne Vera (1964–2005)
- Onesimo Makani Kabweza (1939–1993)
- John Eppel (born 1947) - Won the Ingrid Jonker prize for his first poetry book, and the M-Net Prize in 1994
Business people
- John Bredenkamp, founder of the Casalee Group
- Nigel Chanakira
- Phillip Chiyangwa, founder of the Affirmative Action Group and chair of Native Africa Investments Ltd.
- Strive Masiyiwa, founder of Econet Wireless
- Mutumwa Mawere, multi-industrialist
- Trevor Ncube, newspaper owner
- Nicholas Vingirai - founder of Intermerket Group of Companies
- Admire Muranganwa - founder of Seven East Media Group
Musicians
- The Bhundu Boys
- Charles Charamba - gospel music guru
- David Chifunyise - University of Zimbabwe graduate who sings the title song of the popular Studio 263 (country code for Zimbabwe)
- Simon Chimbetu
- Stella Chiweshe - dubbed "Queen of Mbira"
- John Edmond
- Leonard Musorowenyoka Dembo- Made famous with 'Chitekete' wedding anthem
- Nigel Hove
- Alick Macheso - considered the current 'king' of a genre called sungura
- Thomas Mapfumo - well-known Zimbabwean musician for the Chimurenga genre
- Dumisani Maraire - Shona mbira player who died in 1999
- Dorothy Masuka - Zimbabwe born, but best known for work in the South African jazz scene
- Chris Mhlanga - mbira maker and performer
- Rozalla Miller - dance musician from the early 1990s
- Vusa Mkhaya - singer-songwriter born in Bulawayo
- Clem Tholet
- Oliver "Tuku" Mtukudzi - does popular and traditional music, formerly of "Black Spirits"
- Ephat Mujuru - first to popularise the mbira in the West/America. It is traditionally a "man's" instrument played in traditional ancestor worship ceremonies.
- Fradreck Mujuru - nbira maker and performer
- Albert Nyathi - a Ndebele poet, praise singer (Imbongi)
- Garikayi Tirikoti - mbira maker and performer since age 7; first to synthesise the seven major tunings of Mbira Dza Vadzimu
- Viomak - Zimbabwe's only female protest musician
- Jonathan Wutawunashe - influential head of a gospel music group
- Zimbabwe tribesmen - Zimbabwean metal band
- Leonard Zhakata - sang the chart buster Mugove, 2nd best Zimbabwean song of all time
Politicians
- Canaan Banana
- Roy Bennett - white MDC politician
- Guy Clutton-Brock - politician and farmer
- Margaret Dongo - Independent
- Enoch Dumbutshena- Chief Justice Zimbabwe High Court;Founder FORUM Party;
- Henry Hamadziripi - independence war hero and founding member of ZANU-PF
- Chenjerai Hunzvi - War Veterans leader
- Crispen Mandizvidza - Nationalist Zimbabwe
- Emmerson Mnangagwa - Speaker of Parliament
- Jonathan Moyo - mercurial Independent, previously ZANU-PF Information Minister
- Robert Mugabe - controversial current president of Zimbabwe and leader of ZANU-PF political party
- Joyce Mujuru - Vice-President
- Simon Muzenda - ex-Vice-President
- Abel Muzorewa-Prime Minister Zimbabwe-Rhodesia
- Welshman Ncube - Opposition politician
- Joshua Nkomo - ex-ZAPU leader, affectionately known as father Zimbabwe
- Ndabaningi Sithole-Nationalist;Founding Father Zimbabwe;President ZANU-PF;President ZANU-Ndonga.
- Ian Smith - first Prime Minister Rhodesia; under a white-minority government
- Edgar Zivanai "2-boy" Tekere-Nationalist,Revolutionarist;Master-mind Military Struggle;Founding Father Of Zimbabwe;Secretary-General ZANU-PF;Leader of Z.U.M.(Zimbabwe Unity Movement).
- Garfield Todd
- Josiah Tongogara - Nationalist; Founding Father Of Zimbabwe;Head Of Military Wing (ZANLA Forces);Independence war hero
- Morgan Tsvangirai - Leader of MDC anti-senate faction
- Arthur Mutambara - Leader of MDC pro-senate faction
- Nelson Chamisa (MP) Opposition MDC Secretary of Information and Publicity
- Courage Shumba - Former Students Leader and Outspoken critic of Robert Mugabe
- Tinashe Chimedza -Former outspoken Student Leader
- Brian Kagoro - Human Rights Lawyer
- Tapera Kapuya -Former Student Leader
- John Makumbe -Political Scientist
- Job Sikhala - Opposition politician
- Tendai Biti -Opposition politician
- Innocent Kadungure - Political and Social Commentator
- Vitalis Zvinavashe - Former Army General and Zanu Pf Senator
- Gedion Gono - Reserve Bank Gorvenor
- Simba Makoni - Zanu Pf Presidential hopeful
- Emmerson Mnangagwa -Richest Zimbabwean politician and Presidential hopeful
- Gibson Sibanda - Opposition politician
- Obey Mudzingwa -Former Student Leader and Outspoken Mugabe Critic
- Gabriel Shumba -Former Student Leader and Outspoken Mugabe Critic
- Madock Chivasa -Former Student Leader and National Constitutional Assembly spokesmen
- Genius Shumba - Oppostion activist
- Elliot Manyika -Outspoken Gorvenment Minister
- Trudy Stevenson -White Opposition politician
- Patrick Chinamasa - Former Attorney -General
- Patrick Kombayi - Opposition politician
- Bekithemba Mpofu - Former Student Leader and Opposition politician
Scientists
- Christopher Chetsanga (born 1935) - discoverer of two DNA repair enzymes
- Rudo Makunike - female pathologist specialist (MCTS), BBSCT, University of Zimbabwe
- Arthur Mutambara (born 1966) - Professor of Robotics at MIT, Rhodes Scholar, politician
- Allan Savory - wildlife biologist and former Member of Parliament
- Michael Vimbai Magaisa- Animal behaviourist and Veterinarian.
- Owen C Chidavaenzi- Senior Product Industrialist (2 US & WO Patents) [GSK R&D]
Donald Moshen Tanyanyiwa, Pathologist MMed Path, FC Path (UCT SA)
Sports
- Byron Black (born 1969) - retired professional tennis player, won grand slams doubles
- Cara Black (born 1979) - active professional tennis player, won grand slams
- Wayne Black (born 1973) - retired professional tennis player, won grand slams doubles
- Warren Carne (born 1975) - cyclist, competed at 2007 African MTB Championships
- Tendai Chimusasa (born 1971) - retired long distance runner
- Kirsty Coventry (born 1983) - Olympic champion swimmer
- Duncan Fletcher (born 1948) - former national cricket captain and current England cricket team coach
- Andy Flower (born 1968) - former Test cricketer and national captain
- Bruce Grobbelaar (born 1957) - retired professional football goalkeeper, played for Liverpool F.C.. Started his playing days at Highlanders, a local club based in Bulawayo.
- Michael Magaisa - former long distance runner, retired
- Beast Mtawarira - professional rugby union player playing for Natal Sharks
- Benjani Mwaruwari (born 1978) - active professional footballer playing for Portsmouth F.C., previously played for AJ Auxerre. Graduated from the Highlanders junior teams in Zimbabwe
- Waddington Mwayenga (born 1984) - cricketer
- Peter Ndlovu (born 1973) - active professional footballer playing for Mamelodi Sundowns FC, previously played for Coventry City F.C., Birmingham City F.C. and Sheffield United F.C.. In Zimbabwe he played for Highlanders.
- Henry Olonga (born 1976) - retired professional cricketer
- Nick Price (born 1957) - active professional golfer, British Open winner (1994), PGA Championship winner (1992, 1994), 2005 Bob Jones Award winner, eventual World Golf Hall of Famer
- Vitalis Takawira (born 1972) - professional footballer, a product of Dynamos FC
- Kevin Ullyett (born 1972) - active professional tennis player, won grand slams doubles
Clerics
- Apostle Professor E. H. Guti - founder and President of ZAOGA Forward In Faith
- Apostle Ernest Paul Mwazha
- Archbishop Pius Ncube - outspoken critic of Mugabe
- Reverend Andrew Wutawunashe - a living prophet who has fearlessly supported the economic freedom of black people.