Tinotenda Hove – Controversial Zimbabwean musician and political satirist Cucsman has launched a scathing attack on President Emmerson Mnangagwa, accusing him of insulting young Zimbabweans while celebrating a single act of generosity.

In a statement released on Wednesday, Cucsman, who previously played a key role in Advocate Nelson Chamisa’s campaign programmes, condemned the president for gifting actor Comic Elder a brand new Toyota Hilux GD6 during the National Youth Symposium in Harare.

Said Cucsman: “Yesterday President Mnangagwa gifted talented actor Comic Elder a brand new Toyota Hilux GD6 at a National Youth Symposium in Harare. Whilst I’m genuinely happy for the gesture, I can’t help but feel that all the government officials who were present at this event are completely out of touch with reality or they just don’t care about the same youth they claim to represent.”

He continued, “You can’t uplift the youth by giving a few individuals gifts and call it empowerment. We can’t always be a nation that relies on donations and handouts.”

Cucsman further highlighted the potential of digital platforms to empower Zimbabwean youth, pointing to opportunities that the government has largely ignored: “In countries where Facebook offers monetization, ordinary people are making six figures every month through content creation. Yet Facebook is already making money in Zimbabwe through ad revenue from local businesses. If only our government cared enough, they could engage Meta, Facebook’s parent company, to advocate for monetization for Zimbabwean content creators.”

The musician did not spare the president’s broader political circle, suggesting that the gesture was more about optics than genuine youth empowerment: “But hungori husti hwega hwega, mumisoro yavo vanenge vachingofunga zvekuramba vachitonga. Izvezvi Comic Elder iyeye atove compromised next thing, anenge atove ambassador we ZANU PF, Sad.”

Cucsman’s remarks reflect growing frustration among Zimbabwean youth, who feel sidelined by a government that celebrates symbolic acts while failing to create sustainable opportunities for the broader population.