Zimbabwe: Mugabe”s birthday declared a Zimbabwe holiday

The 21st of February has been gazetted as Robert Gabriel Mugabe National Youth Day, effectively making former President Robert Mugabe’s birthday a public holiday. The notice is contained in Statutory Instrument 143 published in the Government Gazette on Friday. “His Excellency the President, in terms of Section 2(2) of the Public Holidays and Prohibition of […]

The 21st of February has been gazetted as Robert Gabriel Mugabe National Youth Day, effectively making former President Robert Mugabe’s birthday a public holiday.

The notice is contained in Statutory Instrument 143 published in the Government Gazette on Friday.

“His Excellency the President, in terms of Section 2(2) of the Public Holidays and Prohibition of Business Act, hereby make the following notice: (1) This notice may be cited as the Public Holidays and Prohibition of Business Notice, 2017,” reads the Statutory Instrument.

“(2) It is hereby declared that the 21st February of every year henceforth, shall be a public holiday to be known as the Robert Gabriel Mugabe National Youth Day.”

Calls for President Mugabe’s birthday to be made a national holiday were adopted by Government in August following intense lobbying by the Zanu-PF Youth League. The day coincides with the 21st February Movement celebrations meant to commemorate the principles and ideals the former President Mugabe stood for.