15/10/2025
By Mafa Kwanisai Mafa
On 15 September 2025, the Midlands town of Zvishavane witnessed a grand convergence of Zimbabwean youth, leaders, and citizens to celebrate Munhumutapa Day, a commemoration that has quickly established itself as an important fixture on the national calendar. More than a cultural festival, the event embodies the continuity of a centuries-old legacy of statecraft, sovereignty, and visionary leadership. It connects modern Zimbabwe to the grandeur of the Munhumutapa Empire, one of Africa’s greatest pre-colonial civilisations, while simultaneously placing the youth at the centre of nation-building.
Addressing thousands of party cadres, government officials, traditional leaders, and the vibrant ZANU PF Youth League, President and First Secretary of ZANU PF, Cde. Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa situated the celebrations within both historical and contemporary contexts. His message was clear: the Munhumutapa legacy is not just a matter of pride, it is a mandate. It is a call for Zimbabwe’s young people to embody the spirit of sovereignty, unity, and innovation as the country marches toward Vision 2030.
Munhumutapa: A Legacy of Power, Trade, and Sovereignty
The Munhumutapa Empire, stretching across vast portions of present-day Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and beyond, was more than a kingdom; it was a symbol of African ingenuity, prosperity, and global connectivity. Renowned for its stable governance, monumental architecture, and long-distance trade in gold and other minerals, Munhumutapa stood as a beacon of African sovereignty centuries before the advent of colonialism.
As the President noted, the Empire’s foundations in culture, spirituality, and respect for governance provide an enduring template for Zimbabwe today. Just as Munhumutapa harnessed mineral wealth and commerce to consolidate power and stability, modern Zimbabwe continues to pursue beneficiation, industrialisation, and integration into global markets on its own terms. The Empire’s success demonstrates that Africa has always been capable of developing sophisticated systems of governance and trade independent of foreign tutelage.
By institutionalising Munhumutapa Day, Zimbabwe asserts a powerful narrative: our destiny is rooted not in colonial legacies but in our own civilizational achievements.
The Theme: From Revolutionary Roots to Youth Empowerment
This year’s commemorations carried the theme “From Revolutionary Roots to Youth Empowerment, Securing Our Future.” The phrasing captured a dual commitment. First, to honour the revolutionary path blazed by liberation fighters who dismantled colonial domination. Second, to acknowledge the centrality of youth as heirs of that revolution, tasked with defending independence and driving socio-economic transformation.
President Mnangagwa’s address underscored this message. True patriotism, he declared, means placing Zimbabwe first, protecting culture, and defending sovereignty values for which countless lives were sacrificed during the liberation struggle. Today’s youth must carry this torch, demonstrating discipline, hard work, honesty, and an unwavering commitment to national development.
In essence, the celebration was not just a look back at the grandeur of Munhumutapa, nor merely a remembrance of liberation heroes. It was a bridge between past and future, tying together the historical resilience of African states and the contemporary struggle for development, unity, and self-determination.
Youth at the Centre of National Development
If there was one group repeatedly called upon during the celebrations, it was Zimbabwe’s youth. President Mnangagwa reminded them that they are the descendants of Munhumutapa, inheritors of a legacy of innovation and leadership. With the nation’s median age below 20, Zimbabwe’s demographic reality positions young people as the vanguard of national development.
The government has already rolled out youth-focused empowerment programmes such as the Munhumutapa Housing Scheme, the Presidential Youth Empowerment Fund, and various livestock and mechanisation initiatives. These are not mere welfare handouts; they are designed to give young people productive assets and opportunities to shape their economic destiny.
The President challenged the youth to rise above the temptations of drugs, decadence, and destructive cultures proliferating through ICT platforms. He warned that only patriotic, sober, and disciplined young people could truly build a prosperous Zimbabwe. This was a clarion call for vigilance: just as the youth of yesteryear fought colonialism with courage, today’s youth must confront subtler enemies, cultural imperialism, substance abuse, and the erosion of national pride.
Heritage-Based Education 5.0: Building the Future on Our Own Foundations
Education was also placed at the heart of Zimbabwe’s path to Vision 2030. Through Heritage-Based Education 5.0, the country seeks to move beyond the colonial model of producing job-seekers and instead cultivate problem-solvers, innovators, and producers of goods and services.
The Munhumutapa Empire thrived because it combined local resources with strategic global trade networks. Similarly, today’s Zimbabwe must produce for local consumption while competing globally in agriculture, mining, and manufacturing. The President urged young people to venture boldly into agro-processing, mining beneficiation, ICTs, renewable energy, and logistics. “No sector is out of bounds,” he emphasized.
This call reflects a broader Pan-African reality: Africa cannot remain a continent of consumers and exporters of raw materials. Like Munhumutapa, which attracted global attention for its mineral wealth and statecraft, modern Zimbabwe must anchor its development on value addition, technological innovation, and continental solidarity.
By Mafa Kwanisai Mafa On 15 September 2025, the Midlands town of Zvishavane witnessed a grand convergence of Zimbabwean youth, leaders, and citizens to celebrate Munhumutapa Day, a commemoration that has quickly established itself as an important fixture on the national calendar. More than a cultura...