President Emmerson Mnangagwa
By Staff Writer
The Government of Zimbabwe has officially declared September 15 an annual public holiday to be known as Munhumutapa Day.
The declaration was formalized through Statutory Instrument 148 of 2026 under Chapter 10:21 of the Public Holidays and Prohibition of Business Act. Signed under presidential authority, the notice mandates the immediate prohibition of regular business operations on September 15 every year going forward, establishing the date as a recognized fixture on the national calendar.
Named in honor of the historic Munhumutapa Empire, the newly established public holiday is designated to celebrate Zimbabwe’s pre-colonial heritage and national identity. The official gazetting follows formal resolutions and ongoing legislative pushes to establish a dedicated day of national reflection during the third quarter of the year.
With the addition of Munhumutapa Day on September 15, the remaining post-September national holidays are National Unity Day on 22 December Commemorating the 1987 signing of the Unity Accord to promote national peace and political unity, Christmas Day 25 December The traditional Christian holiday celebrated nationwide and the Boxing Day 26 December, the standard public holiday observed immediately following Christmas Day.
