3 major reasons why Zimbabweans want to leave the country

More than half of the Zimbabweans who intend to leave the country are doing so to look for jobs.

Between one and three million Zimbabweans are said to have left the country to look for greener pastures, most of them settling in neighbouring South Africa. 

A survey by Afrobarometer released last month showed that 58% of Zimbabweans had considered leaving the country to look for jobs, while 23% wanted to escape economic hardships and 10% wanted to leave due to poverty.

Only 2% wanted to leave the country to seek education.

More men than women want to leave the country. Sixty-three percent of the men surveyed said they had thought of leaving the country against 53% for women.

Three-quarters of those with post secondary education wanted to leave the country. Sixty-eight percent were youths aged 18 to 35 and 65% were urbanites.

The most popular destination was South Africa with 38% saying they wanted to go to that country, 23% to Europe and 12% to North America.

The Afrobarometer survey covered 24 African countries. Zimbabwe ranked number 5 among the countries where most citizens wanted to leave their countries. 

Liberia topped the list with 78%, followed by Gambia with 68%, Cabo Verde with 64%, Ghana, 61% and Zimbabwe, 58%.

In contrast, only 9% of Tanzanians wanted to leave their country. 

While emigration has cost Zimbabwe dearly in terms of skills drain, remittances from Zimbabweans abroad now account for 25% of the country’s foreign currency earnings.

Remittances from Zimbabweans totalled $1.9 billion between January and September 2024. Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube expected this to reach $2.49 billion by the end of the year.

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