Madhuku questions silence on constitutional changes after youth mobilise behind Baba Harare and his lost luggage

HARARE, Jul. 23 (NewsDay Live) – Political analysts say the online campaign that pressured Ethiopian Airlines to locate and return musician Baba Harare’s lost luggage has exposed both the power of Zimbabwe’s youth to mobilise digitally and their limited engagement on national political issues. Thousands of young Zimbabweans flooded Ethiopian Airlines’ social media pages in recent days, using hashtags and comment campaigns until the airline traced and returned a bag belonging to the Jiti musician, born Braveman Chizvino Mwanza. The luggage contained media equipment essential to his performances. “I want to thank you, Jiti family. I have received my bag with all my equipment. Your love and support are really appreciated,” Baba Harare said after collecting the luggage at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport. The campaign was widely hailed as a successful example of collective online action. However, political observers say the same level of mobilisation has been largely absent on governance issues, including the recent passage of Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3 (CAB3), which introduces sweeping constitutional changes, including extending presidential and parliamentary terms, altering electoral provisions and removing public interviews in the appointment of senior judges. Constitutional lawyer Lovemore Madhuku said greater political awareness was needed among young Zimbabweans. “Unlike other areas such as sport and the arts, politics requires a certain level of awareness-building. We cannot simply blame young people for that gap,” Madhuku said. “We should, however, recognise that the same energy displayed in the Baba Harare campaign can, if properly organised, be directed towards important political issues. Politics is different because it involves many other considerations.” Political analyst Rashweat Mukundu attributed the disparity to fear rather than indifference, arguing that a shrinking democratic space and the perceived risks associated with political activism have discouraged public participation. He said reports of opposition activists facing arrests, assaults and abductions had driven many Zimbabweans away from active politics and towards less risky forms of civic engagement. Another analyst, Jaqueline Sande, said popular culture now commands greater attention than civic affairs among many young people, while economic hardship has also shifted priorities. “It’s a matter of political awareness. The current generation does not appear to be invested in political affairs to the same extent as older voters,” Sande said. “When you speak to people individually, many express fear about what could happen if they become politically active because they have witnessed state brutality against those who have spoken out before.” She also cited what she described as a leadership vacuum within opposition politics and growing dependence among some youths on wealthy benefactors, popularly known as “mbingas.” “That has made it difficult to unite around holding those in power accountable,” Sande said. Analysts said public consultations and civil society campaigns opposing constitutional amendments have frequently failed to influence government decisions, contributing to political disengagement. Despite that, they said the Ethiopian Airlines episode demonstrated that Zimbabwean youths have the capacity to organise and exert pressure through digital platforms when sufficiently motivated, even as concerns remain over whether similar mobilisation can extend to broader civic and governance issues.