Why Zimbabwe’s largest airport had to abandon its original site in the city center

Countries & Cities · Published 9 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Before it became the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport, Harare’s primary aviation hub faced a dangerous identity crisis. Its predecessor, Belvedere Airport, was forced to close because its runway alignment endangered the city center and high-rise buildings. The transition to a safer location took years of planning and financial struggle.

The original aerodrome serving Harare, known as Belvedere Airport, was deemed inadequate by the 1950 report of the Director of Civil Aviation. Its runway was misaligned by approximately 45 degrees, forcing pilots to navigate through a gap in Warren Hills. This skewed approach meant aircraft frequently took off directly over the city center, creating a significant risk of accidents. Furthermore, the rise of high-rise structures, such as the Milton Building, threatened flight safety, and the facility’s initial design—intended for the RAF Elementary Flying Training School—was ill-suited for commercial traffic.

Construction of the replacement, Salisbury Airport, began with an anticipated completion date of 1954. However, the project faced a major setback in October 1952 when the government exhausted its funds, forcing a temporary suspension. The airport was eventually commissioned on 1 July 1956 and officially opened on 5 February 1957, at a total cost of £924,000. It later served as the headquarters for Air Rhodesia in 1967 and subsequently for Air Zimbabwe following the nation's independence from Britain in 1980.

The airport’s history is marked by both conflict and political shifts. During the 1979 attack on Salisbury Airport, the Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army targeted the site with mortar bombs, though the facility remained unscathed. In November 2017, the airport was officially renamed to honor Robert Mugabe, a decision that sparked public controversy. Today, the airport remains the largest in Zimbabwe, though it has seen a reduction in international airline traffic compared to its historical peak, when carriers like British Airways and KLM regularly served the capital.

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