International reaction to the 2008 Zimbabwean presidential election International reaction to the 2008 Zimbabwean presidential election The events of the first and second rounds of the Zimbabwean presidential election, which Robert Mugabe of ZANU-PF won on 27 June 2008 after his challenger, Morgan Tsvangirai of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), withdrew from the process and declared it illegitimate, caused reactions from many international bodies. Other Zimbabwean groups have denounced the poll as well (e.g. the Heads of the Christian Denominations in Zimbabwe.) The South African Development Community (SADC) criticised the election in a statement on 29 June, saying that it "did not represent the will of the
Robert Gabriel Mugabe National Youth Day Robert Gabriel Mugabe National Youth Day Robert Gabriel Mugabe National Youth Day is a public holiday in Zimbabwe commemorating former President Robert Mugabe. The ZANU–PF Youth League has commemorated Robert Mugabe on his birthday in 21 February for years as part of its 21st February Movement which was established in 1986. The youth arm of the ruling party lobbied for the former president's birthday to be declared a national holiday for what the organization says the leader's role in empowering the country's youth. The day was formally recognized as a national holiday on 24 November 2017 on the same day