Zimbabwe Govt. declares holiday on Mugabe's birthday

Zimbabwe has officially declared 21 February to be Robert Gabriel Mugabe National Youth Day, thereby making the former president's birthday a public holiday, the Herald newspaper reports.

New President Emmerson Mnangagwa is expected to form a cabinet this week. Mr Mugabe resigned last week after a military intervention and days of mass protests.

The police and army are to stage joint patrols as the country returns to normal, the authorities have said.

They have already received reports of looting and illegal occupation of properties, particularly farms and houses.


Calls for the former president's birthday to be made a national holiday were adopted by the government in August, following intense lobbying by the Zanu-PF Youth League, the Herald reports.