Zimbabwe declares Munhumutapa Day as annual public holiday

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa has declared September 15 a permanent annual public holiday, to be known as Munhumutapa Day. The date coincides with the President’s birthday. The declaration was formalized through Statutory Instrument 148 of 2026 under the Public Holidays and Prohibition of Business Act.

The name Munhumutapa refers to the title used by rulers of the pre-colonial Mutapa Empire, which once spanned parts of present-day Zimbabwe and Mozambique. While the government has framed the holiday as a connection to national heritage and pre-colonial history, the move has drawn attention to the intersection of political leadership and national symbolism.

In separate diplomatic developments, President Mnangagwa is set to lead a Zimbabwean delegation to the third Russia-Africa Summit in Moscow, scheduled for October 28-29. The summit aims to strengthen cooperation in sectors including energy, mining, agriculture, and technology, as Zimbabwe seeks to expand foreign investment and modernize its economy.