The recently relaunched Zimbabwe Youth Service (ZYS) program, which has welcomed its first 1000 youth trainees, has faced criticism and concern from the youth.
Designed to cultivate patriotic and disciplined citizens, the initiative has been accused of being rushed and lacking broad consultations.
Learnmore Munhangu, Executive Director of YouthDecideZimbabwe (YDZ), expressed concerns about the program’s true intentions, advocating for vocational skills training over political indoctrination.
In an interview, Munhangu warned against repeating the mistakes of the past, referencing the program’s troubled history marked by human rights abuses, forced labor, and political violence.
“We at Youth Decide Zimbabwe lament the haste with which the Zimbabwe Youth Service was re-introduced, leaving many of us in shock.
“This rushed process raises questions about the driving forces behind it. We believe that broad consultations on the legislation and architecture of the program were necessary to avoid the dark memories of the previous National Youth Service, infamously known as the ‘green bombers’, which evokes images of violence, traumatization, and the coercion of citizens, particularly opposition supporters and civil society actors,” Munhangu expressed.
Munhangu urged the Zimbabwean government to “focus on empowering youths through vocational skills training, not indoctrinating them with political party ideologies. Zimbabwe needs a revolution in its socio-economic policies, not politicking.
“Let us prioritize the well-being and development of our youth, not exploit them for political gain,” he added.
The ZYS program was discontinued in 2009 due to numerous controversies, including corruption and mismanagement.
However, President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s recent relaunch has raised fears of a return to the program’s problematic past.
While the government stated that it aims to empower youths through the program, critics argue that the focus should be on socio-economic development rather than political gain.
As the program begins trainings in the country, many Zimbabweans, particularly those from the opposition parties, remain skeptical about its true intentions and potential impact on the country’s democracy.
