National Youth Day in 2025

When is Robert Mugabe National Youth Day?

Robert Gabriel Mugabe National Youth Day is a national holiday in Zimbabwe and is celebrated on February 21st.

This holiday honours, Robert Mugabe who was the first prime minister of Zimbabwe from independence in 1980 until 1987, then the country's 2nd president from 1978 to 2017.

The focus of the day is increasingly moving away from the late president and is instead focusing on youth. Speaking in 2021, Youth, Arts, Sports and Culture minister Kirsty Coventry, said "The 21st February is a National Youth Day. The day was proclaimed and instituted by the government in 2017 in order for the nation to recognise and celebrate the contributions made by the youth throughout the history of the country as well as for the young people to recognise and emulate the leadership values."

History of Robert Mugabe National Youth Day

Robert Mugabe was born on February 21st 1924. He was a school teacher before becoming involved in African nationalist protests calling for independence for Southern Rhodesia from Britain. He was imprisoned from 1964 to 1974 for making anti-government comments. On release, he became the leader of the ZANU Patriotic Front. He took part in the peace negotiations that led to independence and the end of minority white rule.

At the 1980 general election, Mugabe led the ZANU-PF to victory, becoming Zimbabwe's first Prime Minister from 1980 - 1987. In 1987, he became President, only stepping down in 2017 after a military intervention and mass demonstrations.

Mugabe died on September 6th 2019 at the age of 95.

The Robert Gabriel Mugabe National Youth Day was first proposed and accepted in August 2017 after intense lobbying by the ZANU-PF Youth League.

The 21st February Movement was formed in 1986, by the ZANU-PF Youth League, to commemorate the principles and ideals that former president Mugabe stood for.

It was officially declared as a public holiday on the inauguration of President Emmerson Mnangagwa on November 27th 2017. On announcing the holiday, President Mnangagwa said the former president needed to be given the respect and recognition he deserved as one of the founders and leaders of Zimbabwe. "To me personally, he remains a father, mentor, comrade-in-arms and my leader," he said.