Mnangagwa declares birthday a public holiday — Munhumutapa Day

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has declared 15 September a national public holiday to be known as Munhumutapa Day. The date is also his birthday.

The declaration was made through Statutory Instrument 148 of 2026 under the Public Holidays and Prohibition of Business Act, published in the Government Gazette Extraordinary on 9 September 2026.

The notice reads: “His Excellency the President, in terms of section 2(2) of the Public Holidays and Prohibition of Business Act [Chapter 10:21], hereby makes the following notice: 1. This notice may be cited as the Public Holidays and Prohibition of Business (Declaration of Public Holiday) Notice, 2026. 2. It is hereby declared that the 15th of September every year henceforth shall be a public holiday to be known as Munhumutapa Day.”

Munhumutapa, also written as Mwenemutapa, was the royal title used by rulers of the pre-colonial Mutapa Empire, which emerged in the 15th century and covered parts of present-day Zimbabwe and Mozambique.

The title is commonly translated as “lord of the conquered lands.” The holiday is being presented as a celebration of Zimbabwe’s pre-colonial history and civilisation.

The declaration comes as some of Mnangagwa’s supporters have suggested turning his presidency into a monarchy, just months after he pushed through a constitutional amendment extending his second term from five years to seven.

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Lawyer warns Munhumutapa Day could be first step towards monarchy Zimbabwe is slowly becoming a kingdom – Lawyer Sande