Tinotenda Hove- President Emmerson Mnangagwa is expected to officiate at the second Young Women for ED Convention at the Harare International Conference Centre today, in an event that has drawn attention to the growing intersection between women’s empowerment programmes and ruling-party politics.

The convention is expected to bring together young women from across Zimbabwe to deliberate on issues including economic empowerment, leadership and national development.

However, the prominent role being played by the President has raised questions over whether the gathering is primarily focused on addressing the socio-economic challenges facing young women or advancing a political agenda around Mnangagwa.

Critics argue that Zimbabwean young women continue to confront unemployment, limited economic opportunities, high living costs and barriers to accessing meaningful business opportunities, making the substance and outcomes of such gatherings more important than political spectacle.

The decision to place Mnangagwa at the centre of a convention carrying the “Young Women for ED” identity has also fuelled concerns about the extent to which programmes targeting young women are being aligned with the President’s political brand.

Observers say genuine empowerment should be measured by tangible improvements in the lives of young women rather than the scale of political gatherings or the prominence of political figures attending them.

“Young women need opportunities that translate into jobs, access to capital, skills and independent livelihoods.

They do not simply need political conferences where empowerment becomes a slogan,” one observer said.

Another observer questioned whether the convention would produce measurable commitments capable of addressing the economic hardships confronting young women.

“The real test is what happens after the cameras leave. If young women return to the same unemployment, poverty and exclusion, then the convention risks becoming another political showcase rather than an empowerment programme,” the observer said.

The President’s appearance is therefore likely to place the convention under greater scrutiny, particularly regarding whether discussions on leadership and development will encourage independent participation by young women or reinforce loyalty to the ruling establishment.

With young women constituting a significant part of Zimbabwe’s population, critics say empowerment initiatives should be inclusive, politically neutral and focused on creating sustainable opportunities rather than personality-driven mobilisation.

The convention will ultimately be judged not by speeches delivered from the podium, but by whether it produces concrete interventions capable of improving the economic and political prospects of Zimbabwe’s young women.