Zimbabwe National Youth Day 2025: Navigating challenges and nurturing aspirations
Peter Moyo
Bulawayo, Zimbabwe – As Zimbabwe marks National Youth Day on February 21, 2025, the youth of Matabeleland confront a landscape of persistent challenges and resilient aspirations.
Initiated in 2017 to commemorate former President Robert Mugabe’s birthday, this day has shifted under President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s leadership to spotlight youth empowerment. Yet, systemic obstacles continue to overshadow progress in this region.
Youth Unemployment: A Persistent Struggle
The latest data from the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZimStat, 2023) pegs the national youth unemployment rate at 24.9% for those aged 15–24. In Matabeleland, this figure climbs above 34%, exacerbated by the region’s economic marginalization. Thandeka Moyo, 25, a university graduate in Bulawayo, voices a common frustration: “I’ve applied to over 60 jobs since last year. Each rejection makes staying here feel pointless.”
The informal sector dominates, with the International Labour Organization (ILO, 2023) reporting that over 85% of employed youths nationwide lack formal contracts or social protections. In Matabeleland, this reliance on precarious work—hawking, artisanal mining, or small-scale farming—offers little stability.
Education Barriers and Brain Drain
Secondary school enrollment in rural Matabeleland has slipped to 67% (UNICEF, 2023), with financial hardship driving dropouts. Sipho Ndlovu, 20, from Lupane, shares: “I couldn’t pay for my O-Level exams. Now I’m stuck herding cattle instead of studying.” The Zimbabwe Livelihoods Assessment Committee (ZimLAC, 2024) notes that 25.2% of school-age children in Matabeleland North are out of school, largely due to unaffordable fees and supplies.
This educational divide fuels a growing brain drain. The International Organization for Migration (IOM, 2023) found that 40% of Zimbabwean youths plan to emigrate, a trend starkly visible in Matabeleland. “I’d rather risk it abroad than wait for nothing here,” says Mandla Khumalo, 23, from Tsholotsho, echoing sentiments driving migration to South Africa and beyond.
Entrepreneurial Resilience Amid Obstacles
Despite the odds, youth entrepreneurship is gaining traction. Linda Dube, 28, launched a Bulawayo-based tech hub employing seven: “We bootstrapped with $150. With proper support, we could scale massively.” The government’s Youth Empowerment Fund, which allocated $10 million in 2023, aims to bolster such ventures but faces criticism for bureaucratic delays and alleged favoritism.
NGOs like Lupane Youth for Development are stepping in, training 500 youths annually in skills like agro-processing. Nomvula Sibanda, 26, from Plumtree, credits the program: “Learning to process crops gave me a livelihood.” Still, funding and market access remain hurdles for scaling these efforts.
A Call for Inclusion and Innovation
Political engagement lags, with youths occupying just 12% of local council seats nationwide (ZimStat, 2023). Activists like Buhle Ncube, 29, push back: “We’re tired of being sidelined. Our generation deserves a real say.”
Technology offers a lifeline. The Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz, 2023) reports that 60% of Matabeleland’s youths use mobile internet, fueling e-commerce and renewable energy startups. Yet, infrastructure gaps limit their reach.
Looking Ahead
Today’s National Youth Day celebrations in Lupane feature cultural showcases and speeches, but Matabeleland’s youths demand more than symbolism. “We’re done with promises. Show us jobs, show us results,” insists Dube. With 62% of Zimbabwe’s 15.9 million population under 25 (World Bank, 2023), their determination could shape the nation’s trajectory—if given the chance.
