Two Young Content Creators Shift Zimbabwean Diaspora Investment into Property and Agriculture

Harare, Zimbabwe – Zimbabwe's real estate and agricultural sectors are seeing a surge in investment from the diaspora, driven by two young content creators who are reshaping perceptions of opportunity back home.

Kundai Chitima, 31, and Kelvin Birioti, 20, each run their own social media channels, building significant followings and influencing decisions among Zimbabweans abroad who are weighing investment or repatriation.

On YouTube and Instagram, they share short videos and posts highlighting opportunities in Zimbabwe. Popular content includes property tours, agricultural tips, and market trend analysis.

For many in the diaspora, the decision to return or invest is increasingly shaped by social media content offering a real-life view of Zimbabwe, rather than mainstream news.

Catherine Mutisi, an accountant who lived in the UK for 17 years, is among those influenced. While abroad, she began investing in Zimbabwe, building two houses, buying a small plot of land, and starting a business.

She said her mindset shifted after watching Birioti's content during construction.

“Gradually, my mind and plans shifted from just visiting Zimbabwe to wanting to settle permanently,” she said.

Mutisi noted that earlier stories about Zimbabwe made her cautious, but online content offered a different perspective.

“Before, I just built houses for my family to rent out for extra income. But after watching the videos, my eyes were opened,” she told Al Jazeera.

Mutisi’s experience is not unique. Both Chitima and Birioti report receiving similar feedback from Zimbabweans abroad who are reassessing their long-term plans.

Nyashadzashe Nguwo, a Zimbabwean strategic adviser on African markets and global expansion based in the UK, said many like Mutisi are moving back due to a mix of emotional and lifestyle factors.

“There is a strong desire in the diaspora to reconnect with roots and contribute meaningfully to the country’s development. For some, lower living costs and the chance to build something impactful back home outweigh concerns about economic instability,” Nguwo told Al Jazeera.

The Content Creators

After growing up in Chinhoyi, a town about 120 km northwest of Harare, Birioti sought a fresh start and enrolled at Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University in Bindura. He dropped out due to financial difficulties and moved to Harare.

There, he met Chitima and began learning content creation. From the start, he said he avoided entertainment content, focusing instead on what he saw as an information gap.

“I saw a gap: the diaspora community was being scammed.”

He built his platform around real estate, rural development, and agricultural projects, often working with Zimbabweans abroad who gave him access to their properties to document.

Chitima, who worked as a teacher in South Africa before returning to Zimbabwe in 2015, said workplace inequality influenced his decision: “We were paid less than our South African colleagues. I thought of my dignity and decided to go home.”

He returned with limited resources and a pregnant wife, entering a very different economic environment. Before his time in South Africa, he had been a civil servant. After returning, he gradually shifted to content creation from 2015 and later trained younger creators who built large audiences. Today, he sees his platform as educational and protective for the diaspora. “I get calls from people crying… they have been scammed,” he said.

Economic Pressures and Unemployment

While no official data shows exact numbers of Zimbabweans leaving or their reasons, reports from the International Organization for Migration and independent migration studies indicate continued emigration. Zimbabwe's National Statistics Agency reported an unemployment rate of 21.8% in Q3 2024, based on the ILO's strict definition.

Between 76% and 80% of workers are in the informal sector, relying on subsistence or unregistered jobs. Youth unemployment is particularly severe: a 2025 World Bank report estimated it at 76.8%.

Susan Sibanda, 26, described constantly shifting between temporary and informal jobs. “I have had to move from one temporary job to another,” Sibanda said. Her experience reflects a broader labor market where formal employment continues to shrink. In recent years, several major retailers, including Choppies, Truworths, OK Zimbabwe, and N Richards, have scaled down or closed.

Emigration Pressure Remains Strong

Against this backdrop, emigration remains a key factor in decisions by young Zimbabweans. Sibanda said she now believes “leaving Zimbabwe is in my best interest.” Economist Tashinga Kajiva said the emigration story from Zimbabwe largely remains high, driven by a mix of push and pull factors encouraging people to seek better opportunities.

“Zimbabwe's economy is marked by complex dynamics and, for some, hardship. For ordinary people, disposable income remains low while living costs continue to rise. The marginal propensity to save among the working class is also low, as many are struggling,” he told Al Jazeera. The Zimbabwean diaspora is concentrated in South Africa, the UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the US, according to government data.

Maintaining Links from Abroad

The economic link between Zimbabwe and its diaspora remains strong. According to real estate agents, overseas buyers now account for a significant share. They report that up to 50% of high-end homes sold in recent years were purchased by Zimbabweans living abroad. In some areas, land prices have risen 20–30% year-on-year, partly attributed to overseas buyers.

Diaspora investment is also notable in agriculture. Reports from the Zimbabwe Farmers Union indicate that about 10–15% of new agricultural land leases over the past 2–3 years involve diaspora investors, mainly in Mashonaland Central and Matabeleland.

Remittances reached $1.7 billion in 2023 and continued to rise. In 2025, Zimbabweans abroad sent back $2.45 billion, with the UK and South Africa as the largest sources, according to government data. A significant portion of this money is invested in real estate, agriculture, and small businesses, reflecting both practical need and emotional attachment to home.

However, returning seems to evoke mixed reactions. Some Zimbabweans abroad remain cautious, citing political developments and recent protests over governance issues. For them, financial ties to Zimbabwe remain strong, but physical return remains uncertain.

As social media reshapes perceptions of life in Zimbabwe, many in the diaspora remain caught between investment opportunities and economic realities. Just as content creators like Chitima and Birioti change how some view opportunities in Zimbabwe, domestic economic pressures push others away, keeping the country's relationship with its diaspora open and constantly evolving.

“For many Zimbabweans living abroad, investing back home is not just about profit—it's about staying connected to roots and shaping the future of the community,” Chitima said.