Tinashe Sambiri

In a spectacle disguised as empowerment, over 100 young women from villages in Shurugwi district were handed goats under the so-called Presidential Goat Pass-On Scheme — a programme critics say is less about economic development and more about political manipulation ahead of the 2028 elections.

Hosted at Vungwi Primary School, the event saw rural women receiving livestock through the Young Women for Economic Development initiative, a group tightly aligned with the ruling ZANU PF party. Marketed as a project to “uplift rural livelihoods” through food security and income generation, the initiative has raised eyebrows for its timing, methods, and ultimate intentions.

“This is a good initiative for us young women because we have been lagging behind in terms of self-sustenance,” said one beneficiary, adding, “We want to thank our President and our mother Dr. Auxillia Mnangagwa for giving us these goats.”

But beyond the rehearsed gratitude and ceremonial handovers, analysts and local activists argue that the scheme reeks of political patronage — a replay of old tactics where aid and handouts are weaponized to secure rural votes.

“If the government genuinely cared about sustainable development for women, it would invest in proper training, veterinary care, markets, and infrastructure — not just drop off goats and cameras,” said a Shurugwi-based community organizer who requested anonymity for fear of reprisals. “This is a goat today, but where’s the support structure for tomorrow?”

Mrs. Dorcus Masango, Midlands Provincial Chairperson of Young Women for Economic Development, framed the project as inclusive and part of a broader vision.
“The President is saying no one should be left behind. We are encouraged by the support and thank him,” she said. “We will help mobilise more resources to ensure more young women benefit.”

Yet critics say “resources” continue to flow selectively — with loyalty to ZANU PF often a prerequisite for participation in such programmes. They point out that while urban areas suffer from decaying infrastructure, mass unemployment, and inflation, rural communities are pacified with livestock giveaways, symbolic gestures that fail to address deeper systemic inequalities.

“What kind of middle-income economy are we building when young women are told a goat is the ticket out of poverty?” questioned one economic analyst. “It’s patronising, it’s performative — and it’s political.”