Online Reporter
Richard Muponde, Zimpapers Politics Hub
THE Midlands Province is today hosting one of the most significant events, Munhumutapa Day, in Zvishavane.
The event is being held under the theme, “Youth Empowerment: Safeguarding Sovereignty and Building Posterity.”
The commemorations, which coincide with President Mnangagwa’s 83rd birthday, are not only a reflection of Zimbabwe’s proud history but also a reckoning of the central role young people play in shaping the country’s present and future.
For the youth of Zimbabwe, this year’s Munhumutapa Day carries a deeper meaning as it is about empowerment, vision, and responsibility.
Munhumutapa Day was conceived by the Zanu-PF Youth League as a way to honour both the legacy of King Munhumutapa, the legendary nation-builder of pre-colonial Zimbabwe, and President Mnangagwa, who has been steering the nation towards Vision 2030 under the guiding philosophy, “Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo/Ilizwe lakhiwa ngabanikazi balo” (A nation is built by its own people).
In an interview with Zimpapers, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr Jenfan Muswere said the nation will also take advantage of the commemorations to celebrate President Mnangagwa, who will be turning 83 today, as a “statesman, visionary and man of the people”.
“We are celebrating the life of a statesman, a visionary, a man of the people who has dedicated his life to the freedom and prosperity of the people of Zimbabwe,” said Minister Muswere.
“He is not only a leader who is committed to an upper-middle-income society by 2030 and future success for Zimbabwe, but a champion for global peace and security. A President who wants the best for everyone.”
Zanu-PF Deputy Secretary for Youth Affairs, Cde John Paradza, explained that the day is “a youth-driven initiative designed to celebrate achievements under the Second Republic and to chart the way forward for youth empowerment.”
He emphasised that beyond festivities, the commemorations carry a powerful message: the youth are the vanguard of the liberation legacy and the custodians of Zimbabwe’s sovereignty.
Zanu-PF Midlands Province chairperson Cde Edison Chiherenge said the day gave youths the opportunity to interact with the President.
“Everything is now in place for this special day,” he said.
“It is a very important day for young people as they get a chance to celebrate President Mnangagwa’s birthday as well as interact with him. There is also going to be commissioning of flats by President Mnangagwa.
However, this will be attended by senior Government officials and the party.”
This year’s commemorations are being hosted in the Midlands, where President Mnangagwa is expected to commission the US$29 million Midlands Park accommodation facilities.
The flats, now complete and ready for occupation, will directly address the housing backlog while providing modern, affordable accommodation for young people starting out in life.
Housing is not just about shelter; it is a fundamental enabler of independence, stability, and opportunity.
For the youth, access to affordable accommodation means the freedom to innovate, study, start families, and invest in their future without the burden of insecurity.
The Midlands Park project reflects the Government’s recognition that youth empowerment is incomplete without decent housing.
In addition, President Mnangagwa has launched the Youth Empowerment Scheme, which includes a revolving fund for young entrepreneurs, farm mechanisation programmes, and livestock projects such as the heifer scheme.
These initiatives have been rolled out across all 10 provinces, empowering thousands of youths to venture into agriculture, small to medium enterprises, and industrial innovation.
In the build-up to Munhumutapa Day, the ZIMSPORTS4ED initiative organised a nationwide sporting tournament on September 13–14, rallying youths around football, athletics, and other disciplines.
This is more than just recreation. It is a deliberate campaign against the scourge of drug and substance abuse that is devastating communities.
President Mnangagwa has repeatedly spoken against drug abuse, warning of its potential to derail national progress.
In his recent remarks, he did not mince words. “Drug and substance abuse is a cancer that threatens the soul of our nation.
It destroys our youth, the very foundation upon which the future of Zimbabwe is built. We cannot and will not allow this scourge to take root.
“Every Zimbabwean must take responsibility to fight against this menace in our homes, schools, churches, and communities. A nation that loses its youth to drugs loses its future,” President Mnangagwa recently said.
By linking Munhumutapa Day commemorations with sports and anti-drug campaigns, the Government is deliberately investing in a healthy, united, and resilient youth population.
Since assuming office in 2017, President Mnangagwa’s Second Republic has made youth empowerment a pillar of national development.
His administration has created employment opportunities through major infrastructure projects such as the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport expansion, the New Parliament Building, and major road rehabilitations like the Beitbridge-Harare-Chirundu Highway.
It has also facilitated access to capital for youth businesses through the Zimbabwe Youth Empowerment Bank and various revolving funds.
Furthermore, the administration has expanded educational opportunities under Heritage-Based Education 5.0, equipping young Zimbabweans to become innovators, job creators, and industrial leaders, and has encouraged agricultural participation through land reform consolidation, mechanisation programmes, and the Pfumvudza/Intwasa climate-smart farming model, which has benefitted thousands of young farmers.
These projects, while diverse, are united by one purpose: to give Zimbabwe’s youth the tools they need to thrive, innovate, and safeguard sovereignty.
The importance of empowering young people cannot be overstated. Youths make up the majority of Zimbabwe’s population, and their energy, innovation, and resilience are the engines of national progress.
Without empowerment, youths risk falling into cycles of poverty, disillusionment, and social instability.
As history has shown, disempowered youths can become vulnerable to manipulation, drug abuse, and destructive behaviours. Conversely, when given the right tools, education, jobs, housing, and platforms for innovation, they become champions of development and defenders of sovereignty.
Therefore, Munhumutapa Day is not just a cultural celebration. It is a political and developmental declaration that Zimbabwe’s future is secure in the hands of empowered youths.
For President Mnangagwa, Munhumutapa Day is more than a birthday commemoration.
It is a chance to reaffirm his contract with youths, whom he has consistently described as the “torch-bearers of Zimbabwe’s revolution and sovereignty.”
Through his investments in housing, agriculture, industry, and sports, the President has made it clear that he views youth empowerment as the foundation of Vision 2030, where Zimbabwe will become an upper-middle-income economy.
By confronting drug abuse, investing in infrastructure, and building opportunities, President Mnangagwa is showing his love for young people not in rhetoric, but in action.
As Zvishavane prepares to host over 30 000 people, mostly young Zimbabweans, Munhumutapa Day will be both a celebration of history and a vision of the future.
It will remind the nation that just as King Munhumutapa built a powerful empire centuries ago, today’s youths, guided by President Mnangagwa, are called to build a sovereign, prosperous Zimbabwe.
Hence, Munhumutapa Day is a day of reckoning, a recognition of the centrality of youth, a celebration of progress, and a promise of posterity.
