Nevanji Munyaradzi Chiondegwa
Harare – Motsi Qoyi, a South African youth who recently attended the Regional Youth Exchange Summit hosted by the Teddy Ncube-led, Confederation of Youth Entrepreneurs in Harare, Zimbabwe, has challenged the dominant media narrative about the country, sharing an eye-opening account of his experience.
Contrary to the portrayal of Zimbabwe as an impoverished nation with an oppressive government, Qoyi’s observations paint a very different picture. “What I have actually picked up is that the people of Zimbabwe are more resilient and they support their president,” he said.
Beyond their resilience, Qoyi was struck by the economic empowerment and mainstream participation of Zimbabweans. “Zimbabwean[s] own their land and they are in the mainstream economy. A 26-year-old Zimbabwean owns a mine that produces Gold, Lithium, Chrome etc. They own farms, fuel stations, big franchises, retail shops etc.”
This level of entrepreneurship and ownership is all the more remarkable given the economic sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe. “Yes they are under economic sanctions but they continue to progress despite the sanctions,” Qoyi noted.
Qoyi highlighted several key initiatives that are driving Zimbabwe’s progress, including:
Empower Bank – A youth-focused bank that provides low-interest loans to those between 14-35 years old.
Women’s Bank – Aimed at empowering women entrepreneurs.
Cyber City – A major tech hub currently under construction.
Museum of African Liberation – Set to be the largest such museum in Africa.
Chitepo School of Ideology – Educating Zimbabweans on their history, ideology, and policy.
The national motto “Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo” – “A nation is built by its people.”
Widespread car ownership, with most Zimbabweans buying vehicles outright without relying on credit.
Qoyi believes the negative narratives about Zimbabwe are deliberate, intended to prevent other African nations, like South Africa, from emulating Zimbabwe’s path to self-determination and economic progress. “The intention is to make us believe that we so much better than any country in SADC even though we are without our land. This is deliberate.”
Looking to the future, Qoyi is confident that Zimbabwe will be “one of the great economy[ies] in SADC and Africa” within the next 15 years, defying the bleak projections perpetuated by the media.
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