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Farirai Machivenyika Senior Reporter

President Mnangagwa yesterday gazetted a warrant creating the new Royal Order of the Munhumutapa in the highest category, which can be awarded to an African foreign national for support rendered to Zimbabwe for her liberation and continued well-being.

The Warrant 1 of 2023 was published in Statutory Instrument 143 of 2023 to create the award in terms of the Honours and Awards Act that empowers the President to create honours and awards.

The decoration signifying the award is the Royal Order of the Munhumutapa Gold Medal, which is an oval medal of enamelled gold, 89mm in diameter and bears on the observe, the imposing bust of King Munhumutapa showing only his right arm clasping a sceptre over his right shoulder and wearing a headband. The Warrant goes into full detail of the full description of the medal and has the superscription “Order of Munhumutapa”.

Every medal shall be attached by a breast ribbon 92mm in width consisting of five vertical stripes of equal width coloured, gold on each outer end followed by two red stripes on either side that are separated by a single black stripe.

“The recipient’s title and name, shall be impressed on the rim of the metal. The Royal Order of the Munhumutapa may be awarded to any citizen of an African State in honour for their exceptional sacrifice and commitment towards the liberation and perpetual well-being of Zimbabwe as a nation,” reads part of the SI.

The medal shall be awarded on the authority of the President, following upon the recommendation of the appropriate head of department. The head of department can be a person in the employ of the State, the Secretary of the Ministry concerned, the Commander of the Army or Air Force, the Commissioner-General of the Police or the Prisons and Correctional Services.

They can also be a person in the employ of a body corporate established directly by any enactment for special purposes, the head of that body corporate or any other person, a minister or deputy minister, a chief or a mayor.

“The medals may be awarded posthumously in accordance with regulations made in terms of the Act. The Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet shall advise the Registrar of Honours and Awards of names of persons to whom the Medal has been awarded,” further reads the SI.

The honour and award will be effective from January 1, 2005.