The government of Zimbabwe has declared September 15, the birthday of President Emmerson Mnangagwa, a new annual public holiday named Munhumutapa Day. The designation was formalized through Statutory Instrument 148 of 2024, which was officially published in the Government Gazette this week.
According to the statutory instrument, the holiday is intended to recognize the historical significance of the Munhumutapa Empire, a powerful Shona kingdom that controlled large parts of the region between the 15th and 17th centuries. September 15 will now be observed annually across the nation.
The decision has elicited a response from opposition figures. In a statement posted on the social media platform X, opposition leader Nelson Chamisa criticized the establishment of the holiday. Chamisa characterized the move as self-serving and linked it to what he described as efforts to build a personal legacy.
“A birthday is a personal and family matter, not a national one,” Chamisa stated in his post. He added that national holidays should be reserved for honoring figures and events of broad national significance.
The establishment of Munhumutapa Day occurs in the context of political discourse surrounding presidential term limits. President Mnangagwa is currently serving his second and final term under the country’s constitution, with his tenure scheduled to end in 2028.
In recent months, some officials and provincial branches of the ruling ZANU-PF party have publicly expressed support for President Mnangagwa to remain in power beyond 2028. These calls have included suggestions for a constitutional amendment to extend or remove term limits. The government has not made a formal statement on any proposed changes to the constitution regarding this matter.
This is not the first time a Zimbabwean leader’s birthday has been designated a public holiday. In 2017, the government declared February 21, the birthday of former President Robert Mugabe, as the Robert Gabriel Mugabe National Youth Day, a public holiday that continues to be observed.
Munhumutapa Day joins Zimbabwe’s existing list of national holidays, which includes Independence Day, Heroes’ Day, and Defence Forces Day.
