Gutu is the third largest district in Masvingo Province, southern Zimbabwe, after Chiredzi and Mwenezi. It is the northernmost district in the province. The name "Gutu" is historically reported to have emerged from "Chinomukutu wemiseve" – meaning, "the one with a load of arrows". This is according to oral historical folklore of the "Gumbo" clan who are said to have taken over the area from the "Shiri" clan through killing them by poisoning the fruit trees in the "Gona" area. Mupandawana is the largest district service centre. It was designated as a "growth point" during the early years of independent Zimbabwe together with such places as Gokwe in the Midlands Province and Juru in Mashonaland East province. Mpandawana gained town status in April 2014.

It was home to the late Oliver Munyaradzi, Simon Muzenda, former vice president of Zimbabwe as well as Vitalis Zvinavashe, a Commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces and politician. Dr Costa Maonei, former District Medical Officer, comes from the southern tip of the District. The late Air Vice Marshal Josiah Tungamirai was also a native of Gutu. Gutu Mission Hospital found in the district, is one of a number of centers for HIV/AIDS treatment in the province.[2] The population is mostly the Karanga, a Shona sub-tribe. It is one of a few districts in the province where the standard of living is above average. Gutu Rural District Council is in charge of the day-to-day running of the district.

Climatically, the area falls under Natural Region III. Natural Regions (NRs) in Zimbabwe's context are areas delineated on the basis of soil type, rainfall and other climatic factors.[3] It is one of a few districts in the country that suffers from over-population. Its population density of 22.08 per square kilometer is among the highest in the country.[4] Gutu district center had a population of 10-12000 in 1989. Like other districts in the country, medical facilities in the district suffer from shortage of manpower.[5]

Mpandawana Growth Point, a famous business center in Zimbabwe, is found in the district.

Vision

An efficient department in provision of service delivery facilities by the year 2020.

Mission

To provide sound land use planning and infrastructural development services in the Council area.

 Roles of the Department

• Road construction and maintenance
• Development control
• Land use planning
• Infrastructural development and maintenance
• Provision and maintenance of potable water and sanitation facilities.
• Provision and maintenance of solid waste disposal systems
• Maintenance of road equipment
• Provision of serviced of serviced stands
• Departmental budgeting and budgetary control.

Vision

Best in the provision of social services   by 2020.

• Initiate, facilitate and manage the provision of Health, Education, welfare and recreational Serves
• Care for orphans and vulnerable groups
• Coordination and monitoring of NGOs, FBOs trustees and other social groups operating in the district.
• Solid waste management
• Provision of markets 

Vision:

A centre for proper human resources management, and good cooperate governance by 2020.

Mission

To provide secretarial services, human capital management and efficient administration

Roles of the Department

• Recruitment and selection
• Capacity building
• Training and development
• Payroll management
• Performance management
• Disciplinary and greviance handling
• Secretarial services
• Asset Management
• Budgeting and Budgetary control
• Procurement facilitation
• Legal issues handling
• Lease Processing

Vision

Excellency in mobilization and effective use of financial resources by 2020.

Mission

 To provide accurate and reliable financial information for proper decision making

Roles of the Department

• Revenue collection
• Budgeting and budgetary control
• Producing financial statements
• Development and implementation of financial internal control systems
• Disbursements of funds

Vision

Vibrant internal control systems by 2020

Mission

To add value in the operations of council departments.

Roles of the Department

• Executing an approved audit plan
• Implementation of the audit committee budget.
• Auditing operations of council strategic business units with more emphasis on high risk areas.
• To produce quality reports to management for consideration by audit committee and adoption by council.
• Coordinating external audit conduct

Vision

Excellence in the conservation of natural resources and their conversion into wealth by 2020.

Mission

To promote the sustainable utilization and conservation of natural resources in the District.

Roles of the Department

• Formulating and implementing conservation and livestock by-laws;
• Establishing ward based environmental sub-committees;
• Facilitating collecting of revenue from clients exploiting natural resources eg land, mining, firewood, hunting;
• Departmental Budgeting and budgetary control;
• Promoting agricultural development in the District;
• Coordinating livestock sales.

Postal Address

Gutu Rural District Council

P Bag 908 

Gutu

Telephone

0392302656

Email Address

 info@guturdc.org

Physical Address

Stand Number 444

Gutu Mpandawana