ZIMBABWE CREATES NEW ANNUAL HOLIDAY TO HONOUR PRESIDENT MNANGAGWA

The Zimbabwean Government has declared September 15, the birthday of President Emmerson Mnangagwa, an annual public holiday. The new holiday, known as Munhumutapa Day, was gazetted through a statutory instrument as part of a government decision to recognise the significance of the date and promote Zimbabwe’s national heritage. The announcement means September 15 will now be added to the country’s official calendar of public holidays.

The decision makes Mnangagwa’s birthday the second birthday of a Zimbabwean president to receive official public holiday status. Former President Robert Mugabe’s February 21 birthday was declared a national holiday in 2017, shortly after Mnangagwa took office. The Mugabe holiday, known as Robert Gabriel Mugabe National Youth Day, was introduced to commemorate the former leader and his contribution to Zimbabwe’s history, particularly his association with the country’s liberation struggle.

The government’s choice of the name Munhumutapa Day gives the new holiday a broader historical and cultural meaning beyond the president’s birthday. The Munhumutapa, also known as the Mutapa Empire, was a major pre-colonial African state that covered parts of present-day Zimbabwe and neighbouring territories. By linking the holiday to that historical legacy, authorities are presenting the day as an occasion for celebrating Zimbabwean identity, heritage and the country’s historical achievements.

Mnangagwa, who was born on September 15, 1942, became Zimbabwe’s president in 2017 after Mugabe resigned following pressure from the military and ruling ZANU-PF. He was subsequently elected president in 2018 and won another term in the 2023 election. His government has promoted various initiatives aimed at reviving the economy and expanding infrastructure, although his administration has also faced criticism over economic difficulties, governance and political conditions in the country.

The introduction of the new holiday is expected to make September 15 a recurring national event, with government institutions and members of the public observing the day each year. It also adds another presidential birthday to Zimbabwe’s list of national holidays, a move that could generate debate over the role of political leaders in national commemorations. The government, however, has framed Munhumutapa Day around the country’s historical heritage and national identity rather than solely as a celebration of the sitting president.