President Mnangagwa Orders Public Access To Mbuya Nehanda Statue After Viral Video

President Mnangagwa Intervenes In Mbuya Nehanda Statue Access

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has directly instructed the government to allow the public to access the Mbuya Nehanda Statue. This urgent directive came just hours after a video of a popular YouTuber being blocked from viewing the monument went viral online. The government has since apologised for the access issues that sparked nationwide debate.

The dramatic policy shift was announced by government spokesperson Nick Mangwana on X. He confirmed that the President had personally intervened to resolve the situation and that a new access framework was being put in place for the public to safely view the statue.

“To enable safe public viewing of the Mbuya Nehanda statue, while protecting the iconic monument, the government is creating a new access framework. The President has instructed that this be implemented as soon as possible. We take this opportunity to apologise to the public for the delayed access,” Mangwana wrote on 5 November 2025.

YouTuber’s Puzzling Encounter Goes Viral

The controversy began when travel vlogger Davud Akhundzada posted a video of himself being stopped by a police officer in central. Akhundzada had attempted to use the suspended pedestrian flyover bridge — a popular vantage point for viewing the Mbuya Nehanda Statue — but was prevented from doing so.

In the clip, Akhundzada is heard asking the officer why members of the public were not allowed to access the bridge. The officer could not provide a clear explanation and instead advised him to seek permission from the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA).

The video quickly went viral on platforms such as X, Facebook, and Instagram, garnering tens of thousands of views within hours.

Government Ministries Issue Apology And New Plan

As public reaction spread across social media, the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry issued a statement, acknowledging the incident and clarifying the reasons behind the restriction.

“We wish to clarify that the Mbuya Nehanda Statue is a National Heritage Monument managed by the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage. It stands as a proud symbol of Zimbabwe’s liberation history and identity. The site is subject to specific preservation and security protocols and, as such, public access to certain areas including elevated or restricted zones may be limited for safety, preservation and security reasons,” the ministry said.

The ministry extended an apology to Akhundzada and announced a new inter-ministerial initiative aimed at improving access to heritage sites.

“We sincerely apologise to Mr Davud Akhundzada for the inconvenience caused and remain committed to ensuring that all tourists to Zimbabwe’s heritage sites enjoy safe and memorable experiences. Through a Whole-of-Government Approach Strategy in coordination with our counterparts at the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, we are in the process of deploying tourism officers at key heritage and cultural monuments. These officers will facilitate seamless, well-informed and welcoming access for tourists,” the Ministry of Tourism confirmed.

The new plan aims to strike a balance between preserving the integrity of the monument and ensuring that visitors have a safe and positive experience.