Online Reporter
Ivan Zhakata and Victor Maphosa
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa will today lead thousands of young Zimbabweans in commemorating National Youth Day at Igava Vocational Training Centre in Marondera, Mashonaland East, with more than 30 000 youths expected to attend the annual event.
The commemorations, observed annually on February 21 — a public holiday — celebrate the contribution of young people to Zimbabwe’s political, social and economic development while providing a platform for engagement on empowerment, employment and nation-building initiatives.
This year’s celebrations, to be held under the theme “Youth Agenda for Transformation”, will bring together youths, Government officials, development partners and captains of industry to deliberate on opportunities and programmes aimed at advancing youth development.
A major highlight of the 2026 National Youth Day will be the ground-breaking ceremony for Igava Vocational Training Centre — a flagship legacy project designed to strengthen technical skills development, youth service training and economic participation.
President Mnangagwa is also expected to preside over the establishment of a Vocational Training Centre Business Unit under the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, which will serve as a hub for practical youth training initiatives.
On Thursday, Youth Empowerment, Development and Vocational Training Minister Tino Machakaire, accompanied by Local Government and Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe, Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Minister Dr Anxious Masuka and Minister of State for Mashonaland East Provincial Affairs and Devolution Advocate Itayi Ndudzo, toured the venue to assess preparedness.
Minister Machakaire said preparations were almost complete.
“I want to assure the nation that we are now 99 percent complete in terms of preparations and by tomorrow (Friday) we will be receiving youths for our special event on Saturday,” he said.
“On the day, President Mnangagwa will conduct the ground-breaking ceremony for the Youth Service in Zimbabwe and the Vocational Training Centre, where we intend to establish one of the biggest national youth training centres here in Marondera.”
Minister Machakaire said the initiative aligns with the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2), which prioritises youth skills development.
“We have more than 2.3 million youths who are neither in education nor employed. This is part of the solution. With the youth service training centre, we will equip them with skills, provide orientation on national values and prepare them to participate meaningfully in the economy,” he said.
Minister Machakaire added that logistical arrangements were being scaled up in response to overwhelming interest.
“We are expecting more than 30 000 people from across Zimbabwe. We are increasing transport logistics as the requests indicate even higher numbers,” he said.
“We are actually busy working on logistics to increase our transport because the requests that we received indicate that there are more than 30 000 people who are coming to the event.”
Adv Ndudzo said Mashonaland East Province was ready to host the historic event.
“As the host province, Mashonaland East, we are delighted to say we are set and ready to host a successful National Youth Day at Igava on February 21, 2026,” he said.
“I can say, without any fear of contradiction, that we are on course to deliver the best ever National Youth Day celebration, on account of the record number of people we expect to grace the occasion.
“The province is ready and it is all systems go.
“The preparatory work is almost complete, everything is in place, the institutional business unit has been set, fish ponds are ready, the tentage and everything is now above 99 percent complete.”
In a separate interview, director of communication and advocacy in the Ministry of Youth, Mr Ranson Madzamba, said the commemorations are designed to give youths a voice in shaping policies that affect them.
“This is indeed a day where the youths get to interact among themselves as well as with policy makers to deliberate on various issues to do with youth empowerment and development,” he said.
Mr Madzamba said Government ministries, departments and development partners will mount exhibitions showcasing programmes and initiatives targeted at supporting young people.
“Government ministries, departments and various development partners will be exhibiting, meeting the youths and exploring various activities or initiatives they have to support them. This is also a great platform where we are taking the youth empowerment strategy to the youths,” he said.
A job fair organised by the Public Service Commission will form part of the programme, offering young people an opportunity to explore employment prospects within Government.
The hosting of National Youth Day continues to rotate among provinces as part of Government’s decentralisation drive.
Previous celebrations were held in Masvingo and Bulawayo, where legacy projects were established at Mushagashe and Jairos Jiri Vocational Training Centres respectively.
The rotational approach seeks to promote balanced regional development and ensure that youth empowerment opportunities are accessible across all provinces.
Peter Tanyanyiwa