Harare — Zimbabwe’s real estate and farming sectors are seeing a noticeable rise in investment from the diaspora, and two young social media creators have become unexpected drivers of that trend. Kundai Chitima, 31, and Kelvin Birioti, 20, run popular YouTube and Instagram channels that showcase property tours, farming projects and local market analysis, offering many abroad a ground-level view of life and opportunity in Zimbabwe.
Their short videos and posts often focus less on entertainment and more on practical information. Birioti, who grew up in Chinhoyi and briefly enrolled at Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University before dropping out for financial reasons, moved to Harare and learned content creation from Chitima. He says he deliberately avoided flashy content and instead tried to fill ‘‘an information gap’’ and protect diasporans from scams by documenting real properties and projects.
Chitima, who worked as a teacher in South Africa before returning to Zimbabwe in 2015, says workplace inequality and a desire for dignity helped prompt his return. He began creating online content after coming back and now sees his platform as both educational and protective. “I receive calls from people crying … they have been scammed,” he says, adding that his material aims to replace uncertainty with grounded information.
For some in the diaspora, these creators are changing expectations. Catherine Mutisi, an accountant who lived in the United Kingdom for 17 years, had already invested in Zimbabwe — building two houses, buying a small plot and starting a business — but says her plans shifted after she encountered Birioti’s videos during construction. “Gradually, my mind and plans shifted from just visiting Zimbabwe towards wanting to permanently relocate,” she told reporters, adding that earlier narratives about the country had made her cautious but the online content presented a different perspective.
Experts and advisers say this pattern combines emotional and practical motivations. Nyashadzashe Nguwo, a UK-based adviser on Africa market entry and global expansion, notes a strong desire among many in the diaspora to reconnect with roots and contribute to national development. “For some, the lower cost of living and the opportunity to build something impactful at home outweigh concerns about economic instability,” he said.
At the same time, economic pressures at home remain significant. Official and independent reports point to persistent migration and difficult labour-market conditions. The Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency reported a 21.8 percent unemployment rate in the third quarter of 2024 using strict ILO definitions, while a 2025 World Bank estimate puts youth unemployment at around 76.8 percent. Between 76 and 80 percent of workers are thought to be in the informal sector, relying on subsistence or unregulated employment. Young people like Susan Sibanda, 26, describe moving between casual and short-term work and say they often view leaving the country as their best option.
The private sector has also contracted in recent years: several major retailers have downsized or closed operations, a trend that contributes to migration pressures and reinforces interest in opportunities abroad.
Despite those push factors, financial ties to Zimbabwe remain strong. Real estate agents say diaspora buyers now account for a large share of the market for high-end homes — as much as half of sales in some segments — and land prices in certain areas have risen 20–30 percent year-on-year, a rise agents attribute in part to overseas buyers. The Zimbabwe Farmers Union reports that roughly 10–15 percent of new farm leases over the past two to three years involve diaspora investors, with activity concentrated in Mashonaland Central and parts of Matabeleland.
Remittances reflect this economic connection. Government figures cited remittances of $1.7 billion in 2023 and $2.45 billion in 2025, with the United Kingdom and South Africa among the largest sources. Much of that money is reportedly channeled into real estate, agriculture and small businesses, reflecting both practical necessity and emotional ties to home.
Not everyone in the diaspora is ready to return, however. Political developments and governance concerns make some cautious about a full relocation; for them, investments at home are a way to stay connected while keeping their physical lives abroad. Economists say the decision to invest or return is shaped by a mix of push and pull factors: low disposable incomes and rising living costs at home versus opportunities and stability overseas.
As social media creators like Chitima and Birioti reshape how opportunities are portrayed, they are influencing some diaspora members to invest or consider return while others remain pushed by domestic economic realities. The result is a complex, evolving relationship between Zimbabwe and its global community: financial, emotional and increasingly mediated through digital platforms. “For many Zimbabweans living abroad, investing back home is not just about profit — it’s about staying connected to their roots and shaping the future of their communities,” Chitima says.
