By Dickson Bandera
Zimbabweans born in the new millennium, popularly known as the Ama2K generation, have been formally positioned as a key driver of national economic development under a structured initiative dubbed Ama2K 4ED.
Ama2K 4ED, which stands for Ama2K for Economic Development, draws its identity from the national economic reform agenda championed by President Mnangagwa, whose initials ED have become synonymous with the country’s push towards industrialisation, productivity and inclusive growth in the Second Republic.
The movement was unpacked during a high-level interface forum in Harare, where Ama2K engaged Minister of Youth Empowerment, Development and Vocational Training Tinoda Machakaire and other senior Zanu-PF leaders on the role of young people in driving Zimbabwe’s economic transformation.
The programme is an economic movement model aligned with President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa’s Vision 2030 agenda, which seeks to transform Zimbabwe into an upper middle-income economy by the end of the decade.
Economic actors have organised themselves into sector-based affiliates aligned with ZANU PF to actively contribute to national economic development. This approach has seen the emergence of structured groups such as Teachers for Economic Development, Vendors for Economic Development, and War Veterans for Economic Development, among others.
These formations are intended to streamline development efforts by ensuring that economic policies, empowerment programmes, and investment initiatives are tailored to the specific needs, capacities, and challenges of distinct demographic and professional groups.
Ama2k 4ED seeks to move youths beyond political participation into structured economic action, with a focus on entrepreneurship, skills development, innovation and productivity.
Speaking at the launch and interface in Harare, Minister Machakaire said the Ama2K 4ED framework was critical in aligning youth empowerment programmes with Vision 2030, under which Zimbabwe aims to attain Upper Middle-Income Economy status.
“Young people are central to economic development. Organising them into structured economic platforms ensures that empowerment translates into production, employment creation and sustainable livelihoods,” he said.
The Ama2K 4ED programme is designed to operate nationwide across all ten provinces, with provincial and district structures expected to coordinate youth-led projects in sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, information and communication technologies, creative industries and services.
In line with this approach, Zanu-PF raised over US$700,000, alongside additional pledges, to support youth empowerment initiatives under the Ama2K framework. The funds, once consolidated, are expected to be channelled towards viable youth projects in line with national development priorities.
Party officials said accountability, transparency and measurable economic impact would guide the implementation of Ama2K 4ED, ensuring that empowerment efforts contribute meaningfully to economic growth.
The interface forum also provided a platform for Ama2K youths to present ideas, challenges and proposals directly to senior leadership, reinforcing the Second Republic’s emphasis on consultative governance and inclusive development.
As Zimbabwe accelerates towards Vision 2030, Ama2K 4ED positions the country’s largest demographic as active participants in economic transformation, anchoring youth empowerment firmly within the national development agenda.
