“MNANGAGWA, STOP EXPLOITING OUR YOUTH FOR POLITICAL GAIN" – by Renee Brenda Langa

26th May 2024

Growing up in Zimbabwe, I’ve witnessed firsthand the impact of the Zimbabwe National Youth Service (NYS), known to many as the Youth Brigade or "Green Bombers," a ZANU-PF initiative. This program, which was supposed to empower our youth through skills training and nation-building, instead became synonymous with fear and violence. I remember the stories of villagers intimidated, harassed, beaten, maimed and killed by these youths, particularly during election times. The NYS, far from being a force for good, became a tool for oppression and control.

Emmerson Mnangagwa, the ZANU-PF leader, has reintroduced this controversial program. While the government promises that the new version of the NYS will provide jobs and skills training, I, like many others, remain deeply sceptical. We’ve seen how the program has been used in the past—to coerce and exploit economically disadvantaged youths, who are drawn into its ranks with promises of opportunity that often go unfulfilled. These young people, desperate for any chance at a better life, end up being manipulated for political purposes, their futures sacrificed for the ruling party's agenda.

The disparity between the lives of these youths and the children of top ZANU-PF officials is stark and infuriating. While the elite sends their children abroad for the best education money can buy, our less fortunate peers are conscripted into the NYS, indoctrinated, and often forced into violent roles. This hypocrisy only deepens the sense of injustice and mistrust many of us feel towards our leaders. It's a bitter pill to swallow, knowing that while some enjoy the benefits of stolen wealth, others are pushed into harmful and dangerous situations.

The looming 2028 elections compound our worries. The NYS has a grim history of being deployed to intimidate voters and stifle opposition. With its revival, I dread a reoccurrence of past atrocities. The notion of these trained youths being manipulated once more to sway and regulate the electoral process is not just disconcerting—it’s an immediate peril to our democracy. It’s disheartening to hold onto hope when history appears destined to replay, and the fate of our nation feels perilously balanced on the whims of those in power.

Reflecting on all this, it’s clear that real change is needed. The reintroduction of the NYS must be met with scrutiny and a demand for accountability. We need to ensure that any program aimed at youth development genuinely serves our young people's interests, not for political expedience. Only then can we begin to rebuild trust and move towards a future where democracy and human rights are truly respected in Zimbabwe.

Emmerson Mnangagwa must stop exploiting our youth for political gain.

About the author
Renee Brenda Langa is a human rights activist based in the United Kingdom. She is the Secretary for Information & Publicity for the Midlands Branch of the UK Chapter of Restoration of Human Rights (ROHR) Zimbabwe.  She can be contacted by email at reneelanga378@gmail.com OR renee.langa@rohr-zimbabwe.org