---
title: "The youth of Zimbabwe are already jaded - reflections on voting in the elections on Wednesday"
description: "Young people in Zimbabwe are torn. Not just about who to vote for, but whether or not they’ll vote at all. Zimbabweans head to the polls on Wednesday August 23. It may be the first or second time young people can participate in the election of a president since the end of Robert Mugabe’s 37-year rule in 2017. The coup that toppled him sparked new hope. But election violence, an unstable economy and lack of reforms in the years since have jaded Zimbabwe’s youth."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "COUNTDOWN TO AUGUST 23 PODCAST"
author: "Radio Workshop"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/radio-workshop/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2023-08-22-the-youth-of-zimbabwe-are-already-jaded-reflections-on-voting-in-the-elections-on-wednesday/"
published: "2023-08-22T12:20:24"
updated: "2023-08-22T12:47:34"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 54
---

# The youth of Zimbabwe are already jaded - reflections on voting in the elections on Wednesday

> Young people in Zimbabwe are torn. Not just about who to vote for, but whether or not they’ll vote at all. Zimbabweans head to the polls on Wednesday  August 23. It may be the first or second time young people can participate in the election of a president since the end of Robert Mugabe’s 37-year rule in 2017. The coup that toppled him sparked new hope. But election violence, an unstable economy and lack of reforms in the years since have jaded Zimbabwe’s youth.

By Radio Workshop · Published 22 August 2023, 14:20 SAST · Updated 22 August 2023, 14:47 SAST

## Key points
- Zimbabwe's youth are torn between hope and jadedness as they prepare to cast their ballots in Wednesday's election, with their future hanging in the balance.
- Zimbabweans go to the polls on 23 August
- Young people have not experienced a free election since 2017
- Election violence, economic instability and lack of reforms have jaded the youth
- Listen to podcast for an insight into the feelings and dreams of Zimbabweans

## Content

In this podcast, Zimbabweans – both in their home country and the diaspora in South Africa – reveal their feelings and their dreams for their country on the eve of the elections.

[Spotify audio](https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/7vv8DqNmNd9L3rwcxvlhe5?utm_source=generator)

*This podcast story was first aired on August 16 by [Radio Workshop](https://radioworkshop.childrensradiofoundation.org/podcasts/to-vote-or-not-to-vote-in-zimbabwe/) and Magamba Network. It is republished here with permission.***DM**