Massive Recruitment Drive Underway for National Youth Service in Matabeleland

Nqobile Bhebhe

Following the recent commencement of enrolment for 750 cadres into the National Youth Service in Zimbabwe, various affiliates have launched a widespread recruitment drive across districts in the Matabeleland region.

The relaunch of the programme, announced by Cabinet in April 2024 and renamed the Youth Service in Zimbabwe, aims to foster a culture of service and encourage constructive youth participation in nation-building activities.

The initiative is designed to engage young people positively and help steer them away from societal challenges such as drug and substance abuse that often result from idleness.

The programme operates under the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Development and Vocational Training.

The current recruitment efforts have been particularly intense in areas including Tsholotsho, Plumtree, Lupane, and Nkayi, drawing significant youth interest across these districts.

However, the initiative has a complex history in the region.

Past recruitment drives have sometimes sparked tensions within communities. Notably, in Tsholotsho in 2008, the introduction of a similar recruitment campaign led to violent conflict. During that period, one Nkosinamandla Mguni, from

Tsholotsho, tragically lost his life after unknown assailants set his bedroom hut on fire while he was inside, an incident believed to be linked to the tensions surrounding the youth service recruitment.

In Gwanda, a number of youths that were attending a welding workshop at a local youth centre were attacked after they were accused of refusing to join the service.

Community leaders and officials are urging calm and cooperation as the new recruitment drive unfolds, emphasizing the positive role the Youth Service in Zimbabwe can play in empowering young people and promoting social cohesion across Matabeleland.