The Zimbabwean Government has declared September 15 an annual public holiday, a date that coincides with President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s birthday.
The new holiday, officially named Munhumutapa Day, was established through Statutory Instrument 148 of 2026 under the country’s Public Holidays and Prohibition of Business Act.
The regulation provides that September 15 will be observed as a public holiday “every year henceforth,” making it a permanent addition to Zimbabwe’s national calendar.
The name Munhumutapa refers to the historic Mutapa Empire, which existed in parts of present-day Zimbabwe and neighbouring territories between the 15th and 18th centuries.
President Mnangagwa was born on September 15, 1942, meaning the newly designated holiday falls on his birthday.
The government has not publicly given a specific explanation for choosing September 15 for the new holiday, according to reports on the gazetted regulation.
The first official observance of Munhumutapa Day is expected to take place on September 15, 2026, with reports indicating that a major celebration is planned in Mashonaland Central Province.
The development has attracted public attention because of the coincidence between the new national holiday and the President’s birthday, although the government has formally presented the occasion under the historical name Munhumutapa Day.
Zimbabwe already observes several national holidays, including Independence Day, Heroes’ Day, Defence Forces Day, National Unity Day and Robert Gabriel Mugabe National Youth Day.
