Tinotenda Hove – Freedom Fighters for Change (FFC) has issued a scathing statement condemning the deepening economic crisis in Zimbabwe, accusing the ruling ZANU PF government of deliberately reducing young people to beggars as a means of political control.

In its latest press statement, the movement warned that the future of Zimbabwe is being sacrificed at the altar of greed and corruption, with the youth—many of them educated and qualified—reduced to lives of desperation.

“The worsening economic crisis has stripped dignity away from millions of our citizens, particularly the youth,” the movement said.

“In a country blessed with vast resources and a talented, hardworking population, it is unacceptable that university graduates—young men and women who should be driving innovation and development—have been reduced to beggars.”

Freedom Fighters for Change noted with concern the growing trend of young graduates publicly appealing for handouts, including cars from wealthy individuals.

“Today, we witness educated youths crying out for brand-new cars and handouts from so-called philanthropists, not because this is their ambition, but because they have been pushed into desperation by a system that denies them genuine opportunities for progress,” the statement read.

The movement directly accused ZANU PF of weaponizing poverty as a political tool. “The ZANU PF regime has perfected the art of weaponizing poverty. By deliberately keeping citizens economically dependent, the regime manipulates and silences voices that should be demanding accountability and justice,” it declared.

Instead of creating jobs and empowering citizens, the ruling elite is accused of enriching itself while feeding the population with crumbs. “Instead of empowering young people with jobs, decent wages, and opportunities, the ruling elite dangles crumbs to maintain control, all while enriching themselves at the expense of the nation,” Freedom Fighters for Change charged.

Calling for urgent action, the statement urged citizens and civic organizations to unite against what it described as a corrupt system that thrives on suffering. “We cannot continue down this path. Zimbabwe’s future lies in its youth, and yet the very same youth are being reduced to tools of political survival for a corrupt system. This is not just economic mismanagement—it is deliberate suppression.”

The movement ended with a rallying call for collective resistance. “Freedom Fighters for Change calls upon all progressive forces, civic groups, and citizens across the country to rise and demand a government that serves its people, not one that feeds on their suffering. Zimbabweans deserve dignity, opportunities, and a future built on justice—not poverty packaged as charity. The time for change is now,” said President Michael Makaza.