JUST IN: Gvt reaffirms 21st February as a public holiday

Some of the children who attended the 21st February Movement in Matobo.Picture by Wilson Kakurira

Herald Reporter
GOVERNMENT has reaffirmed that February 21 is a public holiday which will be known as the Robert Gabriel Mugabe National Youth Day. In a statement, Zimbabwe Service Commission chairman Mr Mariyawanda Nzuwah said tomorrow is a public holiday with respect to public officers.

“Statutory Instrument Number 143 of 2017 (gazetted on November 24, 2017) provides that: ‘His Excellency, the President, in terms of Section 2 (2) of the Public Holidays and Prohibition Act (Chapter 10:21), hereby makes the following notice:- 1. This notice may be cited as the Public Holidays and Prohibition of Business Notice, 2017.

“2. It is hereby declared that the 21st of February every year henceforth, shall be a public holiday to be known as the Robert Gabriel Mugabe National Youth Day. Accordingly, Wednesday 21st February is a Public Holiday with respect to public officers,” he said.

Mr Nzuwah said every public officer was required to be at work until the close of business today (Tuesday).

“There is no half day on the Tuesday preceding the public holiday. Similarly, all public officers are to report for work at the start of duty on Thursday 22nd February 2018, unless prior written authority is given by the head office. Any violation of the office hours on Tuesday 20th and Thursday 22nd February 2018 shall be considered an act of misconduct,” he said.