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Zimbabwe President declares his birthday a public holiday
12th September, 2026 01:03 PM
Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa has declared his birthday, September 15, an annual public holiday across the country, naming it Munhumutapa Day.
According to a notice shared by the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC), the country’s state-owned national broadcaster, September 15 will henceforth be observed as a public holiday every year.
The holiday was established through Statutory Instrument 148 of 2026, officially titled the Public Holidays and Prohibition of Business (Declaration of Public Holiday) Notice, 2026.
The notice was issued under Section 2(2) of the Public Holidays and Prohibition of Business Act, Chapter 10:21.
“It is hereby declared that the 15th of September every year henceforth shall be a public holiday to be known as Munhumutapa Day,” the notice states.
The declaration means Mnangagwa’s birthday will now coincide with an annual national holiday, making September 15 a date that will be officially marked across Zimbabwe every year.
Why Munhumutapa Day?
The new holiday takes its name from the historic Mutapa Empire, a powerful Shona kingdom that existed in southern Africa between the 14th and 17th centuries.
The Mutapa state was associated with a large territory in present-day Zimbabwe and neighbouring parts of the region. Its history remains an important part of Zimbabwe’s pre-colonial heritage.
The government has therefore presented the name Munhumutapa Day as a reference to the country’s historical and cultural heritage.
However, the decision has drawn criticism and ridicule because the date chosen for the national holiday is also the president’s birthday.
Comes months after term extension
The announcement comes months after another controversial move by Mnangagwa, who signed a constitutional amendment extending the country’s presidential and parliamentary terms from five to seven years.
The amendment pushed Zimbabwe’s next general election from 2028 to 2030, while also introducing changes to the way the president is elected.
The changes have sparked debate over the country’s political system and the future of the presidency.
Mnangagwa, 83, has been president of Zimbabwe since 2017, when he took over following the ouster of longtime leader Robert Mugabe.
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William Muthama
William Muthama is a digital journalist with a focus on entertainment, human interest, and current affairs. Share stories: [email protected]/ [email protected]
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