Chamisa decries Zimbabwe's brain drain, calls for leadership reform

Former opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) leader Nelson Chamisa has raised alarm over Zimbabwe's worsening brain drain, revealing that he receives daily calls from professionals seeking to leave the country in search of better opportunities abroad.

Chamisa, who has been a vocal critic of the government, said the exodus of skilled workers has been a persistent issue for the past two decades, with many Zimbabweans pleading for assistance on how to exit the country.

"My daily agony is waking up every day to the lived nightmare of receiving yet another call from a fellow Zimbabwean desperate to leave the country searching for what is believed to be greener pastures. This is a story I have experienced repeatedly for the past 20 years," Chamisa wrote on his X handle.

"Often, these calls are not just conversations; they are pleas for assistance, requests for guidance on finding a way to exit and escape to a perceived better life and future. The sheer scale of brain drain we are experiencing is staggering."

Chamisa attributes this crisis to a failure of leadership, arguing that those in power have ignored the severity of the issue. He emphasized that any serious leadership would take immediate steps to curb the outflow of skilled professionals.

"We are hemorrhaging talent and gifts, losing the very citizens we have invested in and educated (with meager resources for that matter), to other economies, where they go to build and strengthen economies elsewhere," he lamented.

The former opposition leader also warned of the long-term economic consequences of losing Zimbabwe's best minds to other nations. Key sectors, including healthcare, engineering, and education, have been hit hard by the continued migration of skilled workers.

"We cannot continue with a situation where all of us, as a people, are perennially preoccupied with finding a way out of our own country. I am yet to see a nation that thrives when the bulk of its best minds are outside it. It can't," he stated.

"It has become a common disposition for citizens to go seeking opportunities in other countries. The motivation being that the grass is greener elsewhere. Granted, the grass always seems greener elsewhere, but it should be greenest wherever we are. Yet, right now, that green grass is benefitting no one here - except a select few."

Zimbabwe has been struggling with an economic downturn characterized by high inflation, political instability, and lack of job opportunities. The healthcare sector, in particular, has been one of the hardest hit by the brain drain, with many doctors and nurses leaving for better-paying jobs overseas.

Chamisa's comments come at a time when the country continues to face economic hardship, with citizens increasingly frustrated over the lack of meaningful reforms. Many have also accused the government of failing to create a conducive environment for professionals to thrive within Zimbabwe.

Chamisa resigned from the CCC in January 2024, citing government interference that had allegedly compromised the party's operations. In a 13-page statement, he claimed his party had been "contaminated" and "hijacked" by the ruling ZANU-PF and declared that he would have "nothing to do with sewer politics."

"The original CCC idea has, however, been contaminated, bastardized, hijacked by ZANU-PF through the abuse of State institutions," he said at the time.

However, over a year after his resignation, Chamisa has faced mounting criticism for his reluctance to announce a new party or clarify his political ambitions. Instead, he has focused on sharing religious messages, often using biblical analogies, much to the frustration of his supporters who are eager for a concrete political direction.

As Zimbabwe continues to grapple with economic difficulties and an exodus of skilled professionals, Chamisa's latest remarks highlight the urgent need for leadership and policy reforms to retain talent and stabilize the nation's future.