Online Reporter
All roads lead to Mvurwi in Mashonaland Central Province tomorrow as we commemorate Munhumutapa Day, a new national occasion intended to reconnect the country with an important chapter of its pre-colonial history.
The declaration of September 15 as a public holiday provides an opportunity to do more than celebrate an ancient civilisation. It should encourage Zimbabweans, particularly young people, to draw lessons from the organisation, resilience, economic activity and statecraft of the Mutapa civilisation as the country pursues the building of a modern, prosperous and self-sustaining State.
Munhumutapa was the title used by rulers of the Mutapa State, which emerged in the 15th century in the northern and north-eastern parts of present-day Zimbabwe and expanded into parts of neighbouring countries including present-day Mozambique, Zambia and South Africa. The state developed sophisticated systems of governance and participated in regional and long-distance trade, including commerce in gold and other commodities.
Its history is therefore a reminder that our economic and political development did not begin with colonialism. African societies had established systems of authority, production, trade and diplomacy long before European rule.
The Mutapa State was built upon a strong foundation laid by the builders of Great Zimbabwe. Great Zimbabwe flourished earlier, particularly between the 11th and 15th centuries, and its decline preceded the emergence of the Mutapa State. Both form part of the country’s rich pre-colonial heritage and demonstrate the capacity of African societies to organise complex economies and build enduring institutions.
As Zimbabwe looks towards Vision 2030, these lessons remain relevant. The central message should be that development requires ownership, innovation, discipline and a long-term national vision. The principle captured in the Government’s policy, Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo/Ilizwe lakhiwa ngabanikazi balo”— the country is built by its owners — can be translated into practical action through productive investment, local value addition, infrastructure development and skills development.
The allocation of residential stands to 2 000 youths in Mashonaland Central is particularly significant in this regard. Housing is not just about providing land. Properly implemented, the scheme can give young Zimbabweans an asset from which they can build secure livelihoods and participate more confidently in the formal economy.
The 259-hectare housing initiative, covering sites in Mvurwi, Centenary and Bindura, should therefore be accompanied by infrastructure, transparent allocation, access to finance and opportunities for young people to build homes and businesses. Empowerment must produce productive citizens, not simply beneficiaries of allocations.
More than 100 000 people are expected at tomorrow’s celebrations, while more than 30 000 youths from across the country are expected to attend. Such numbers demonstrate the potential of Munhumutapa Day as an important national education platform.
We welcome the commemoration, but its greatest value will lie in what Zimbabweans do with its lessons. Our ancestors built institutions suited to their time. Modern Zimbabwe must do the same — using its history not as a source of nostalgia, but as inspiration to build a capable, productive and inclusive State, brick by brick and stone by stone.
