Gweru (called
Gwelo until 1982) is a city near the centre of
Zimbabwe. It has a population of about 146,073 (2009), making it the fifth largest city in the nation. Gweru is the capital of
Midlands Province, and was founded in 1894 by Dr.
Leander Starr Jameson. It became a municipality in 1914 and achieved city status in 1971. The name changed from
Gwelo to
Gweru in 1982.