Article by Thando Gwinji
The 2025 Mid-Term Budget and Economic Review, presented by Finance Minister Prof. Mthuli Ncube under the theme “Building Resilience for Sustained Economic Transformation”, signals a macroeconomic approach rooted in stability, growth, and debt sustainability. With GDP projected to grow by 6% and inflation holding steady, the budget positions itself as a framework for long-term national prosperity. Yet, for youth, over 60% of whom are outside the formal economy, the benefits of this stability are not guaranteed. Macroeconomic gains only become meaningful when they translate into equitable access to resources, opportunities, and decision-making power, especially for young women and marginalized groups. The challenge, therefore, is ensuring that these national fiscal policies are deliberately linked to local, inclusive programs that enable youth to move from the economic periphery into the center of development. This article draws its analysis from the priorities outlined in the Draft Bulawayo Youth Policy, presented to the Bulawayo City Council last year by Youth for Innovation Trust and the Youth Policy Working Group, and currently still under review. It examines the 2025 Mid-Term Budget through the lens of what young people in Bulawayo have articulated as their needs and aspirations in that policy document.
The Minister reported a GDP size now estimated at US$45.7 billion, with projected growth of 6% for 2025. Inflation has stabilized at around 0.5% month-on-month, and foreign currency receipts are up 30%. For young entrepreneurs in Bulawayo, this macroeconomic stability is essential, it sets the stage for access to credit, market confidence, and a more predictable business environment. However, the Youth Policy’s call for deliberate economic empowerment measures, such as youth-friendly tender processes, market spaces, and start-up financing, this remains only partially addressed in the review. While the Budget notes efforts to reduce the cost of doing business and bring informal sector players into the formal economy, it does not specify dedicated funding streams for youth enterprises in Bulawayo. Without clear mechanisms, the gap between economic growth statistics and lived youth economic empowerment may persist.
Water scarcity is a long-standing issue in Bulawayo, and the Draft Youth Policy stresses the impact of poor water access on young women’s unpaid care work. The Budget’s focus on Gwayi-Shangani Dam construction, borehole drilling, and rural water schemes is critical, but urban supply interventions for Bulawayo were not specifically highlighted. Without targeted measures, urban youth may not see immediate relief from water rationing challenges. Education, on the other hand, receives a significant share—ZiG16.1 billion for primary and secondary, ZiG5.7 billion for higher and tertiary education. The Budget also funds school feeding programmes, sanitary wear provision, and infrastructure development, which align with the Draft Youth Policy’s calls for up-to-standard City schools with science and computer labs. However, vocational and apprenticeship opportunities for young people are not detailed. A stronger link between budget allocations and local vocational training or digital skills hubs would bridge this gap.
In terms of Arts, Sports and Culture, the refurbishment of the National Sports Stadium is a national-level initiative, but the Mid-Term Review does missed an opportunity to stimulate youth engagement, cultural industries, and creative economies at local levels. Similarly in Housing, Infrastructure and Urban Development, while the Budget allocates ZiG15.7 billion for infrastructure, covering energy, transport, water, housing, health, and education, the housing delivery section is limited. ZiG746.7 million was spent on housing delivery nationwide, the most tangible benefit for Bulawayo’s youth in infrastructure lies in transport upgrades, especially the commencement of rehabilitation on the Bulawayo–Victoria Falls Road. Improved transport corridors can boost tourism, create logistics jobs, and increase connectivity for young traders.
As we move towards the end of the year and prepare for the 2026 National Budget, it is imperative that young people in Bulawayo, civil society organizations, and community leaders actively engage in the budget consultation processes. The Draft Bulawayo Youth Policy already provides a clear, community-driven blueprint of what youth need to thrive, from housing quotas and market access to digital hubs and inclusive health services. The onus is now on both local and national government to embed these priorities into fiscal planning, with transparent budget lines and measurable outcomes. This requires not only advocating for youth-specific allocations, but also tracking and analyzing provincial budget performance to identify gaps, successes, and missed opportunities before the next consultation round. By combining evidence-based provincial budget tracking with strong advocacy, Bulawayo’s youth can enter the 2026 budget process with clear demands, data to back them, and the collective voice needed to ensure that macroeconomic stability is harnessed to dismantle barriers to participation in the formal economy. Youth voices must be at the center of every step, from pre-budget submissions to monitoring implementation, to guarantee that 2026 becomes the year where stability translates into inclusion.
The 2025 Mid-Term Budget provides a stable macroeconomic foundation and some encouraging sectoral investments, but it falls short of fully aligning with the lived realities and articulated priorities of Bulawayo’s youth. Stability without structural inclusion risks entrenching inequality, leaving the majority of young people outside the circles of opportunity and decision-making. The path forward requires deliberate integration of youth demands into fiscal frameworks, recognizing that a resilient economy is one where young people; women, men, and those from all marginalized groups, are equipped, resourced, and empowered to drive transformation. As 2026 approaches, the question is no longer whether youth should be part of the economic equation, but whether the country has the will to invest in them as equal partners in Zimbabwe’s growth story.
Youth For Innovation Trust 