1894 with the establishment of a British South Africa Company post on the Rusape River. A village grew around the post and, during the First Chimurenga in 1896, the village was attacked by Chief Mangwende. At Gwindingwi, during the early days, Chief Chingaira Makoni was beheaded by the British in front of his subjects after his death by firing squad and his head taken to England. Climate Population The town of Rusape has expanded southward, to include the high density area of Vengere and northward to include the low density development known as Silverbow. According to the 1982 Population Census, the town had a population of 8,216. This rose to 13,920 in 1992. In 2004, the population of Rusape was estimated at 29,292. The National Population Census of 2012 in Zimbabwe recorded a population of 30,316 for the town on 17 Augustus 2012. Former Zimbabwean Cricketer Kevin Curran hails from Rusape. Education The list of schools in Rusape include the following: Primary Schools Mount Carmel Primary School John Cowie Primary School St Joseph's Primary School Tsanzaguru Primary School Vengere Primary School Rujeko Primary School Highveld Primary School Mabvazuva Primary School Manda Primary School Madzingidzi Primary School Yorkshere Primary School St David's Gunda Primary School Secondary/High Schools Vengere High School St Joseph's Secondary School Tsanzaguru Secondary School Tsindi Secondary School St Faith's High School Kriste Mambo High School St. Killians High School Nyakuipa Secondary School Colleges Destiny College Watermark College Three Hills College Vision College Ashanti Dzaro Religion The number of churches in Rusape indicates the importance of religion in the community. Christianity appears to be the dominant religion, but African religions persist in and through various Christian denominations. Christianity and indigenous religions have influenced each other from the time missionaries first arrived in Rusape in the early 1900s. Anglican Canon, Edgar Lloyd, presided over St Faiths Mission, from Rusape, from 1903 to 1936. Places of worship Christian Apostolic Faith Mission Church – Nyanga Road Celebration Church – Nyanga Road Dutch Reformed Church – Nyanga Road Emmaus Zimbabwe (Catholic) – Unknown Grace Fellowship Church – Nyanga Drive One Church - Magamba Extension Rusape Community Church (Methodist) – Chingaira Street See End Time Message – Mabvazuva Road Seventh Day Adventist Church – Rusape (Castle Base Road); Vengere; Dana St Bartholomew Anglican Church (Anglican)– Chimoio Avenue St Johns Rusape United Methodist Church - Vengere St Simon Stock (Catholic)– Nyabadza Avenue Watchtower Kingdom Hall