President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Birthday Declared Public Holiday, Critics Question His Move

• Zimbabwe's government gazette officially named 15 September as Munhumutapa Day, marking President Mnangagwa's birthday as a public holiday
• The move came just months after Mnangagwa signed a constitutional amendment extending his presidential term by two years beyond 2028
• Critics accused the president of consolidating power, with one accountant saying Zimbabwe is being turned into a monarchy

ZIMBABWE - Zimbabwe is in an uproar after President Emmerson Mnangagwa turned his own birthday into a national public holiday.

A government gazette released on Thursday confirmed that 15 September will now be observed annually as Munhumutapa Day.

Public holiday declared Munhumutapa Day

The name draws from the Munhumutapa Empire, a Shona kingdom that flourished between the 15th and 18th centuries.

The gazette reads:

"It is hereby declared that the 15th September every year will henceforth be a public holiday known as Munhumutapa Day."

The announcement arrived just months after Mnangagwa signed a constitutional amendment extending his time in office by two years, pushing his term well beyond its original 2028 end date. Together, the two decisions have deepened concern among critics who see a pattern of unchecked authority.

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Mnangagwa's birthday move sparks backlash

According to News24, a Zimbabwean accountant speaking on the matter accused the president of systematically engineering a monarchy, arguing that extending his rule through constitutional changes and now enshrining his birthday in the national calendar are two parts of the same strategy.

Mnangagwa is not the first Zimbabwean leader to enjoy this distinction. Former President Robert Mugabe's birthday on 21 February was also declared a public holiday during his time in power. After Mugabe left office, the day was quietly rebranded as Youth Day.

The comparison has done little to reassure critics, many of whom believe history is repeating itself.

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Social media reactions

Zimbabweans took to social media to voice their frustration, and the comments were pointed:

@siazyaba wrote:

"Holiday for what. This is totally abuse of power by doing as u want creating holidays."

@untdafrca said:

"What about all the other tribes and communities who equally belong to Zimbabwe, just as the Munhumutapa? What about them?"

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@ProsperOnFarms added:

"This is tribalism, bro. Is Munhumutapa the only person in Zimbabwe's heritage worth a day? What about Mzilikazi, Lobengula, Chaminuka, Nehanda, Rhodes, and me?"

@tongileman91 asked:

"The government is focused on totally wrong things. Who voted you into government for a simple reason that you bring more holidays and forget clean water, good roads, good schools and hospitals?"

@TheclimberZW warned:

"For those who are smart this is more than declaration of a holiday, it's rather a declaration of power. The king is declaring his position."

Zanu-PF paves way for Mnangagwa's extended rule

Previously, Briefly News reported that Zimbabwe's ruling party, ZANU-PF, defended its reasons for voting to pass a bill in Parliament to extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s term for two more years. This was after the bill received a two-thirds majority vote thanks to MPs from the opposition party Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC). 216 members of Arkianent voted in favour of the controversial bill which is meant to keep Mnangagwa in power for two more years.

Source: Briefly News