Abstract
Zimbabwe is facing a challenge common to most African countries, that of having a ‘youth bulge’ of people aged 18 to 35. This youthful population exists against the backdrop of limited economic growth and employment opportunities, deteriorating social services and skewed development. Older men occupy positions of power in government, the private sector, non-government organisations and traditional institutions and are reluctant to share this power with youth. The situation has often been described as a ticking time bomb waiting to explode. Based on documentary data and interviews from key informants, this chapter argues that the country’s government faces a severe threat as a result of the youth bulge. New and imaginative thinking is essential in devising solutions and this process must involve youth. In addition to being a potential threat, youth are also an asset for sustainable development.
In peace sons bury their fathers, but war violates the order of nature and fathers will bury their sons (Herodotus).
Cyprian Muchemwa, Lecturer in the Department of Peace and Governance at Bindura University of Science Education in Zimbabwe and a Research Associate of the International Centre of Nonviolence at Durban University of Technology; e-mail: ckmuchemwa@gmail.com.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Adams, T. M. 2011. Chronic violence and its reproduction. Washington: Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.
African Union (AU). 2011. African Youth Decade 2009–2018 Plan of Action. Accelerating Youth Empowerment for Sustainable Development. Available: http://www.un.org/en/africa/osaa/pdf/au/african_youth_decade_2009-2018.pdf. (Accessed 6 September 2016).
African Union (AU). 2006. African Youth Charter. http://www.un.org/en/africa/osaa/pdf/au/african_youth_charter_2006.pdf. (Accessed 9 September 2016).
Bond, P. and Manyanya, M. 2003. Zimbabwe’s Plunge: Exhausted Nationalism, Neo-Liberalism and the Search for Social Justice. Harare: Weaver Press.
Canning, D., Sangeeta, R. and Abdo, S. Y. 2015. Africa’s Demographic Transition, Dividend Or Disaster? New York: World Bank.
Carter, K. 2013. Is Youth Bulge a Crucial Determinant of Stability? Available: https://www.populationmedia.org/2014/01/07/is-youth-bulge-a-crucial-determinant-of-stability/. (Accessed 25 April 2019).
Colthart, D. 2006. The reasons why I cannot join the Tsvangirai faction. Available: https://www.bing.com/search?q=The+reasons+why+I+cannot+join+the+Tsvangirai+faction&src=IE-SearchBox&FORM=IENTSR. (Accessed 20 May 2019).
Cronje, F. 2015. Born free but still in chains: South Africa’s First Post-apartheid Generation. Johannesburg: South African Institute of Race Relations.
Financial Gazette 4 June 2015. Available: www.fingaz.co.zw. (Accessed 3 July 2016).
Fuller, G. and Goldstone, J. 1990. Youth Cohorts and Political unrest in South Korea. Political Geography Quarterly, 9: 9–22.
Harris, G. 2011. Ministries of peacebuilding in sub-Saharan Africa: Rationale, functions and establishment. African Security Review, 20(1): 122–133.
Heinsohn, G. 2000. What makes the Holocaust a uniquely unique genocide? Journal of Genocide Research, 2(3): 411–430.
Huntington, S. P. 2001. So, are civilisations at war? Interview by The Observer (online), 21 October. Available: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2001/oct/21/afghanistan.religion2 (Accessed 27 May 2019).
International Labour Organisation (ILO). 2016. World Employment Social Outlook Trends 2016. ILO: Geneva.
International Organisation for Migration (IOM). 2015. IOM Zimbabwe Supporting the Government to Develop a National Diaspora Policy. Available: https://zimbabwe.iom.int/news/iom-zimbabwe-supports-government-zimbabwe-develop-national-diaspora-policy. (Accessed 25 April 2019).
Interview with Tafara an unemployed 24 year old church youth leader in Bindura 2 August 2016.
Kriger, N. 2013. Guerilla Veterans in Post war Zimbabwe. Symbolic and Violent Politics, 1980–1987. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Musarurwa, H.J. 2016. The rise of youth activism and non violent action in addressing Zimbabwe’s crisis, Conflict Trends, 2016(3): 50–56.
Nehandaradio.com. 21 June 2015. Available: www.nehandaradio.com. (Accessed on 6 October 2016).
NewsDay. 2014. 65 Per cent of Zimbabwean youths suffer drug induced mental problems. NewsDay (online), 14 August. Available: https://www.newsday.co.zw/2014/08/65-zim-youths-suffer-drug-induced-mental-problems/. (Accessed 20 July 2016).
NewsDay. 2013. Shocking statistics on gender based violence. NewsDay (online), 2 December. Available: https://www.newsday.co.zw/2013/12/shocking-statistics-gender-based-violence/. (Accessed 31 July 2016).
Ortiz, I. and Cummins, M. 2015. When the Global Crisis and Youth Bulge Collide. Double the Jobs, Trouble for the Youth. New York: UNICEF.
Panday, S. and Richter, L. 2007. Youth Policy Initiative. Available: http://repository.hsrc.ac.za/handle/20.500.11910/5855. (Accessed 25 April 2019).
Quinn, B. 2016. Kenya tops league for youth development. The Guardian Weekly (online), 28 October.
Reeler, T. 2015. Why doesn’t the ‘bulge’ burst in Zimbabwe? Available: https://researchandadvocacyunit.wordpress.com/2015/01/08/why-doesnt-the-bulge-burst-in-zimbabwe/. (Accessed 27 May 2019).
Sachikonye, L. 2012. Zimbabwe’s Lost Decade, Politics, Development and Society. Harare: Weaver Press.
Saunyama, J. 2016. Shocking CABS youth fund loan results. NewsDay (online), 4 April: no page number. Available: https://www.newsday.co.zw/2016/04/shocking-cabs-youth-fund-loan-results/. (Accessed 15 July 2016).
Southern Eye. 2013. Old Mutual Kurera/Ukondla Youth Empowerment Fund. Southern Eye (online), 10 December. Available: https://www.southerneye.co.zw/tag/old-mutual-kurera-ukondla-youth-empowerment-fund/. (Accessed 6 July 2016).
The Economist. 2015. Informal Employment dominates. The Economist (online), 23 June. Available: http://country.eiu.com/article.aspx?articleid=453276029&Country=Zimbabwe&topic=Economy. (Accessed 29 July 2016).
The Sunday News. 2014. Youth complain over inaccessibility of Kurera/Ukondla fund. The Sunday News (online), 4 April. Available: http://www.sundaynews.co.zw/youth-complain-over-inaccessibility-of-kureraukondla-fund/. (Accessed on 27 July 2016).
The Telegraph. 2013. Africa’s population to double to 2.4 billion by 2050. The Telegraph (online). Available: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/10305000/Africas-population-to-double-to-2.4-billion-by-2050.html. (Accessed on 31 July 2016).
Urdal, H. 2012. Peace a Clash of Generations? Youth Bulges and Political Violence. New York: Havard University Research Institute Oslo, PRIO, Population Division Export Paper No 2012/1.
Vigh, H. 2006. Navigating Terrains of War: Youth and Soldering in Guinea Bissau. New York: Berghan Books.
Walusala, K. 2012. Foreword. In: Maina, G., Walusala, K., Cubitt, C., Forti, D., Mutisi, M. and Tsuma, W. eds. 2012. Opportunity or threat: the engagement of youth in African societies. Africa Dialogue, Monograph, Series No 1/2012. Umhlanga Rocks: ACCORD, 9.
Zambara, W. 2015. Nonviolence in practice: Enhancing the churches’ effectiveness in building a peaceful Zimbabwe. Ph.D. thesis. University of KwaZulu-Natal.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2019 Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Muchemwa, C. (2019). Youth Bulge: A Blessing or Curse to Zimbabwe’s Peace?. In: Hove, M., Harris, G. (eds) Infrastructures for Peace in Sub-Saharan Africa. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-14694-8_13
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-14694-8_13
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-14693-1
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-14694-8
eBook Packages: Political Science and International StudiesPolitical Science and International Studies (R0)