Zimbabwe: Junior council champions youth voice in local governance
My name is Kupakwashe Mupundu, a 15yearold Form 3 student and Deputy Mayor of the City of Masvingo Junior Council. Our Junior Council is a youth led civic body formally integrated into the municipality of Masvingo. As young leaders, we work alongside the senior council to drive development, promote youth participation, and ensure that children’s voices influence decisions that shape their lives.
Before the growth of the Junior Council, youth participation in Masvingo was tokenistic. Young people were often invited to events, but not involved in planning, leadership, or policy shaping. Issues affecting children drug abuse, early marriages, cyberbullying, mental health, disability inclusion, and community safety were rarely addressed through platforms that genuinely listened to young voices. Many children suffered silently, with limited spaces to share their experiences or influence change.
But all of this began to shift when the City of Masvingo Junior Council expanded its programs, strengthened partnerships, and amplified youth leadership across the city. The change has been transformative, reshaping how young people engage with local governance and community development. For the first time, Junior Councilors are formally integrated into municipal structures, representing youth voices in decision making platforms.
Suggestion boxes placed in schools provide safe, anonymous channels for reporting bullying, abuse, and other sensitive issues. This simple tool has created safer school environments and sparked meaningful conversations about children’s rights. Through our outreach programs, young people now receive critical education on drug abuse, cyberbullying, mental health, early child marriage, and career guidance. These interventions have improved overall wellbeing, awareness, and confidence among learners across Masvingo.
The establishment of Junior Council Clubs and study groups has strengthened academic performance among former councilors, demonstrating the long term benefits of youth leadership. Beyond the classroom, our community programs including breast cancer awareness campaigns, cleanup exercises, and donation drives have fostered a culture of service and civic responsibility. Inclusivity has also become a key pillar of our work. By coopting youth living with disabilities and partnering with the Sign Language Association of Zimbabwe, we ensure that disability inclusion is at the Centre of youth development.
Over 100 young people have been trained annually in basic sign language, promoting communication equity and breaking social barriers. On the international stage, our participation at the IYF World Camp in South Korea has exposed Masvingo’s youth to global best practices in leadership, cultural exchange, emotional intelligence, urban planning, and sustainable development. These experiences have enriched our perspectives and deepened our commitment to building stronger, more aware communities back home.
The city’s increased budget for youth initiatives rising from USD 20,000 in 2024 to USD 35,000 in 2025, with a projected USD 50,000 for 2026 is a powerful indicator of growing confidence in youth leadership. Young people in Masvingo are now seen not just as future leaders, but as active contributors to development today. The transformation was driven by consistent youth action, strategic engagement with the senior City Council, and the visible impact of our activities.
Our programs drug abuse campaigns, cyberbullying awareness, health outreach, commemorations of International Children’s Day, and participation in national cleanups demonstrated measurable value to the city. The Mind Education Lecture, the Masvingo Tourism and Culture Youth Festival, and the South Korea IYF World Camp showcased how well structured youth development programs could improve emotional intelligence, leadership capacity, creativity, and global awareness.
Senior Council officials recognized this impact, prompting increased financial investment and deeper integration of the Junior Council into planning and policy spaces. Youth representatives now attend municipal strategy meetings, policy dialogues, and budgeting processes. This shift reflects a community rewriting its understanding of youth leadership from symbolic participation to shared governance.
Kupakwashe Mupundu, Zimbabwe
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