Online Reporter
Victor Maphosa
Mashonaland East Bureau
Marondera will host this year’s National Youth Day celebrations, with preparations now underway to stage the national event that will bring together thousands of youths from the country’s 10 provinces.
The celebrations, scheduled for February 21, 2026, will be held at Igava, where key activities will include the groundbreaking ceremony for the Igava Vocational Training Centre (VTC), a flagship project aimed at strengthening skills development and youth empowerment.
National Youth Day is observed annually to recognise the contribution of young people to Zimbabwe’s political, social and economic development, while also providing a platform for Government to engage youths on empowerment, employment and nation-building programmes.
This year’s celebrations mark a shift from last year’s event held at Barbourfields Stadium in Bulawayo, in line with Government’s policy of decentralising the hosting of major national events to promote balanced development across provinces.
In an interview, Director of Communication and Advocacy in the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Development and Vocational Training, Mr Ranson Madzamba, said the day underscores the importance of investing in young people and expanding opportunities for their participation in national development.
“This day emphasises the need to recognise and celebrate the youth, promote youth service and reaffirm national commitment to youth empowerment and development. It also increases awareness on the need to invest in youth, thereby strengthening their participation in national programmes,” he said.
Mr Madzamba said the Second Republic continues to prioritise youth inclusion in economic and developmental initiatives as the country moves towards Vision 2030.
“As Zimbabwe is approaching the final stretch towards Vision 2030, Government is prioritising targeted large-scale, high-impact interventions to rapidly re-engage youth through skills, employment, entrepreneurship and youth service,” said Mr Madzamba.
He noted that one of the key interventions is the National Youth Empowerment Strategy (2026–2030), launched by President Mnangagwa on October 22, 2025, which seeks to reach more than 2.3 million youths who are Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEETs).
