Harare, Zimbabwe – Zimbabwe’s real estate and agriculture sectors are seeing a surge in expatriate-driven investment, with two young content creators quietly emerging as unexpected influencers shaping the trend.
Kundai Chitima, 31, and Kelvin Birioty, 20, both running their own social media channels, have built followings that appeal to the growing number of Zimbabweans abroad considering returns or investment.
On YouTube and Instagram, they share short videos and posts highlighting opportunities in Zimbabwe. His popular content ranges from property tourism and farming tips to market trend analysis.
For some in the diaspora, decisions about return or investment are shaped less by official narratives and more by social media content offering an on-the-ground perspective of life in Zimbabwe.
One of those affected is Catherine Mutisi, who spent 17 years working as an accountant in the United Kingdom. During that time, he had already begun investing in Zimbabwe, building two houses, buying a small plot of land and starting a business.
He said his thinking changed after seeing Birioti’s material during production.
“Gradually, my mind and plans shifted from visiting Zimbabwe to a desire to relocate permanently,” he said.
Mutisi said earlier stories about Zimbabwe had made him cautious, but the online material offered a different perspective.
“At first, I was building my house to raise some money for my family. But after watching the video, my eyes were opened,” she told Al Jazeera.
His experience is not isolated. Both Chitima and Birioty say they hear similar things from Zimbabweans in the diaspora reevaluating their long-term plans.
Nyashadzashe Nguwo, UK-based Zimbabwean Africa market entrant and global expansion consultant, said many people like Mutisi are relocating to Zimbabwe due to a combination of emotional and lifestyle-driven factors.
“There is a strong desire among many in the expatriate community to reconnect with their roots and contribute meaningfully to national development. For some, the low cost of living and the opportunity to build something impactful at home outweighs concerns about economic instability,” Nguwo told Al Jazeera.
two influential people
After growing up in Chinhoyi, a town in northern Zimbabwe, about 120 km (75 mi) north-west of the capital Harare, Birioti made a fresh start and enrolled at Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University (ZEGU) in Bindura. However, due to financial challenges he dropped out and decided to move to Harare.
There he met Chitima and started learning content creation. From the beginning, he said he avoided entertainment-style content, instead focusing on what he saw as information gaps.
“I saw a difference: the migrant community was being scammed.”
He built his platform around real estate, rural development and agricultural projects, often working with expatriate Zimbabweans who provided access to their properties for documentation.
Chitima, on the other hand, worked as a teacher in South Africa before returning to Zimbabwe in 2015.
He said that workplace inequality influenced his choice: “We were earning less than my South African colleagues. I thought about my dignity and decided to return home.”
Chitima returned to Zimbabwe with limited resources and a pregnant wife, and entered a very different economic environment from the one he had left.
Before living in South Africa, he worked as a civil servant. After returning, he gradually got into content creation, starting in 2015, and later trained young creators who built a massive audience.
Today, he delivers both educational and protective shows to expatriate audiences on his platform.
“I get calls from people crying… they’ve been defrauded.”
He says his content aims to replace uncertainty with on-the-ground information about the realities and opportunities in Zimbabwe.
economic pressure and unemployment
Although no official statistics are publicly available on the exact number of Zimbabweans leaving the country or their reasons for doing so, reports from the International Organization for Migration and independent migration studies indicate continued emigration.
The Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (Zimstat) reported a 21.8 percent unemployment rate in the third quarter of 2024, based on strict International Labor Organization definitions.
76 percent to 80 percent of workers are in the informal sector, relying on subsistence or irregular employment. Youth unemployment is particularly severe: by 2025 the World Bank report estimates it to be 76.8 percent.
For many young people, it is becoming increasingly difficult to secure stable employment.
Susan Sibanda, 26, describes moving between short-term and informal work.
“I am switching from one informal job to another,” Sibanda said.
Their experience reflects the broader labor market where formal employment is shrinking. In recent years, several large retailers, including Choppies, Truworths, OK Zimbabwe and Ann Richards, have downsized or ceased operations.
Emigration pressure remains strong
Against that backdrop, migration still figures prominently in the decisions of young Zimbabweans.
Sibanda said she now believes “it is in my best interests to leave Zimbabwe”.
Economist Tashinga Kajiwa said the migration story from Zimbabwe remains largely high, driven by a combination of push and pull factors that encourage people to leave for what they see as greener pastures.
“Zimbabwe’s economy is marked by complex and, some would say, difficult dynamics. For ordinary citizens, disposable income remains low, while the cost of living continues to rise. The marginal propensity to save is also low among working-class citizens, as many are working hand-to-hand,” he told Al Jazeera.
According to government figures, the Zimbabwean diaspora is concentrated in South Africa, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States.
maintain relations with foreign countries
Economic ties between Zimbabwe and its diaspora remain strong.
According to real estate agents, expatriate buyers now account for a significant share of
He says up to 50 percent of high-end residential properties sold were bought by Zimbabweans living abroad in recent years. In some areas, land prices have increased by 20-30 percent year-on-year, with this increase partly attributable to expatriate buyers.
Overseas investment in agriculture is also noteworthy. Zimbabwe Farmers Union reports indicate that about 10–15 percent of new agricultural leases over the past two to three years have involved expatriate investors, with activity concentrated in the Mashonaland Central and Matabeleland regions.
Remittances reached $1.7 billion in 2023 and continue to grow. According to government figures, in 2025, Zimbabweans abroad repatriated $2.45 billion, with the UK and South Africa the largest sources. A significant portion of these funds have reportedly been invested in real estate, agriculture and small businesses.
According to economists, this reflects a practical need and emotional attachment to home, as well as a preference for investment in familiar environments.
Still, the comeback appears to have generated mixed reactions.
Some expatriate Zimbabweans appear cautious, citing recent protests abroad over political developments and governance concerns.
For them, financial ties with Zimbabwe are still strong, but the physical return remains uncertain.
With social media reshaping perceptions of life in Zimbabwe, many expatriates are torn between investment opportunities and the country’s economic realities.
As content creators like Chitima and Birioti see opportunity in Zimbabwe, domestic economic pressures are pushing others away, leaving the country’s relationship with its diaspora open and still developing.
“For many Zimbabweans living abroad, investing back home is not just about profit – it is about staying connected to their roots and shaping the future of their communities,” Chitima said.
