Elisabeth Valerio

For 30 years, @ZLHRLawyers has helped make constitutional rights meaningful for ordinary Zimbabweans. I commend their continued commitment.

While in New York for events on the sidelines of the 81st UN General Assembly, I had the pleasure of meeting H.E. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. We spoke briefly about leadership and the work ahead for #Africa. I appreciated the opportunity to hear her perspective and to share some of what I have been working on. #UNGA81

Today I join members of The African Federation from across Africa and the diaspora for the TAF Global Conference 2026, a virtual gathering focused on the structures, partnerships and pathways needed to advance a more united and prosperous Africa. Under the theme “Africa’s Future Is What We Do Now,” this conference will present TAF’s vision, strategic priorities and practical opportunities to engage through Chapters, strategic Focus Units and collaborative initiatives. Wednesday, 20 May 2026 6pm GMT | 7pm WAT | 8pm CAT | 9pm EAT Register here: theafricanfederation.org/eve…

In a country facing real hardship, this “Hunger Games” display reflects a troubling disconnect from the lived realities of citizens. It’s a stark reminder of how distorted priorities have become, particularly among those close to Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Over the years, I’ve had countless conversations with African entrepreneurs from across the globe - in airports, over coffee, on WhatsApp messages past midnight. Different journeys, different industries, different struggles. But the same questions keeps coming up: “How do we move from ideas to action? Where do we go to think together, to build together?” I didn’t have an answer. So we built one! The ELISA Business Summit was created to be that space - a place where African entrepreneurs can gather with intention, sharpen our strategies, and expand possibilities across borders. It's not a conference for inspiration. It's a working forum for progress. As we step into December, I’m reminded how important it is to stop agonising and start investing in the spaces that shape the future we’re all trying to build. Registration for the March 19th 2026 Summit is now open: elisasummit.com

What a privilege it is to stand alongside such inspiring women at the 2025 Africa Women Innovation & Entrepreneurship Forum (AWIEF) in Cape Town. This gathering reminded us of the brilliance, courage, and vision that drive Africa’s future. We spoke about the power of women’s leadership - not as a slogan, but as a proven path to sustainable growth and stronger communities. Yet as we celebrate success, we must also ask ourselves: are we measuring progress by what happens abroad, or by the strength of our own African ideas? True progress comes when we develop homegrown solutions, grounded in our people, our environment and our lived realities. Across Africa, we have built strong frameworks - from the Maputo Protocol and Agenda 2063 to national constitutions like Zimbabwe’s, which enshrine women’s representation and equality. But the real test of commitment is not in how many policies we sign, but in how those policies behave when a woman tries to use them. When bureaucratic systems delay or obstruct women’s participation, when opportunities exist only on paper, or when leadership is celebrated symbolically but not structurally supported, that is where progress falters. These challenges are not abstract. They are felt daily by women in #Zimbabwe who struggle to access finance for their businesses, face limited educational and digital opportunities, and must still fight against cultural expectations that question their right to lead. Gender-based violence and workplace discrimination continue to silence potential and weaken the very communities we seek to strengthen. At the International Centre for Professional Development, we are working to transform this reality. Our initiatives are designed to equip women with the skills, confidence, and support they need to lead - through education, mentorship, professional training, and access to coaching and a network that help them start and grow their enterprises. We collaborate with policymakers, institutions and business leaders to ensure that equality moves beyond rhetoric into real, tangible change. We also create spaces where women can connect, learn from one another, and build solidarity - because empowerment thrives in community. The Global Gender Gap Report warns us that, at the current pace, gender equality will take 134 years. #Africa does not have that time. Our continent’s future depends on how boldly we invest in women and girls - not just as beneficiaries of development, but as architects of transformation. When women thrive, entire nations rise. @263Chat @capitalkfm @Bulawayo24News @BusinessTimesZW @ChronicleZim @citezw @ercafrica @HeraldZimbabwe @HMetro_ @iharare @ManicaPostZim @matpulsezw @NewsDayZimbabwe @NewZimbabweCom @OpenParlyZw @SAPESTrust10 @SundayMailZim @thestandardzim @WeArePindula @ZCCinZim @Zimdaily @zimlive @zimcelebs1 @ZimEye @ZTNPrime @healzim @emthonjeniwomen @gmczimbabwe @GenderZimbabwe @musasazim @AmakhosikaziFM @swrgnzim @table_girls @walpeacademy @wdnzimbabwe @womensvoicezw @WLSAZW @HivosWiL @YoungWomenInst @unwomenzw @feministvoicezw @wesewomen @WagZimbabwe @FemnetProg @WPP_Africa

No parent should ever endure the unspeakable pain of burying their own child. The recent tragedy in Kuwadzana, where three innocent children lost their lives in such a horrific manner, has shaken us all to the core. If there was foul play.. I find it deeply saddening that the human mind can conceive and execute such despicable acts against defenceless children. The incident is a wound to our entire community and nation. On behalf of my office and in my personal capacity, I extend my deepest condolences to the bereaved families and the people of #Kuwadzana. Our thoughts and prayers are with you during this time of unimaginable grief. There is absolutely no place in our society for such evil. I urge our law enforcement agencies to leave no stone unturned in ensuring that any perpetrators of this heinous act face the full wrath of the law. Justice must prevail, and as leaders, we remain committed to ensuring that our communities are safe and that such tragedies never happen.

I hear your struggle - being #Zimbabwean can feel heavy, but it’s our strength! Our land, people and spirit are worth fighting for. Transform that frustration into fuel to reclaim and rebuild our #Zimbabwe. That’s what I’m doing! Don’t dwell on the weight. Embrace what you can do. 🇿🇼

I mark with great respect the passing of Dr Jane Goodall, a pioneer whose groundbreaking research on chimpanzees and tireless advocacy for wildlife conservation changed the world. Her life was a testament to the power of compassion, science and activism in protecting natural heritage. Dr Goodall’s legacy lives on in every conservationist who challenges poaching, in every researcher who defends habitats and in every community working to coexist with nature. Her message is especially relevant to #Zimbabwe, where we continue to face human-wildlife conflicts, drought, environmental degradation and other tensions between ecological balance, human need and animal welfare. As someone deeply committed to wildlife, I believe her example can guide us toward sustainable solutions, investment in non-lethal conservation strategies, and policies that safeguard both communities and animals. #JaneGoodall leaves a legacy of hope and responsibility. May it inspire us in Zimbabwe and beyond to be better stewards of the earth. #JaneGoodallRIP

Vanhuwe!!! This road from #Hwange to Mosi-Oa-Tunya (one of Africa’s most iconic destinations) is such a disgrace! Nzwiraiwo vana we Zimbabwe tsitsi weduwe. If you stopped doling out cars, and wads of cash to teary eyed pastors for even just three months, maybe #Zimbabwe would be somewhere! #Bulawayo to Hwange the road is even worse! This is such an injustice - and to add insult to injury, the people of #Matabeleland North are still required to pay toll fees daily.

A valid call-out! Until #Africa hosts the tables where its future is discussed, true sovereignty remains a dream. Whoever controls the venue often controls the narrative and this has been going on for a long time. These leaders are summoned to #Russia, #USA, #Japan etc to discuss issues of their nations. It's one of the reasons why we host the annual ELISA Business summit right here in #Zimbabwe. Converging on #African soil enables us to pioneer, test and develop new ideas that can genuinely drive business growth across our continent. elisanetwork.com/summit @ElisaSummit

As we mark the 45th anniversary of Zimbabwe’s independence, the United Zimbabwe Alliance (UZA) solemnly commemorates the sacrifices made from Mash West, Manicaland, Matabeleland, and all provinces across our land. The  guerrilla war marked by fierce battles, ambushes, and wartime atrocities paved the way for our sovereignty, yet the #Zimbabwe they fought for remains unfulfilled for many of their descendants. We honour those who perished at Chimoio during Operation Dingo in November 1977, where Rhodesian forces launched raids that claimed over a thousand lives including women, children and hospital patients. We recall the Nyadzonya Massacre of August 1976, when attackers disguised in #FRELIMO uniforms killed more than 1,000 unarmed fighters and refugees. These valleys of pain and resilience, now memorial sites, are more than relics of past violence; they symbolize unbreakable nationalism, patriotism, and the price paid for freedom. Many who survived returned burdened by their memories; others lie in mass graves yet to be dignified. The war was not merely dangerous; it was brutal combining sophisticated surveillance, deceptive tactics, and indiscriminate violence to break the spirit of a people yearning for dignity. Nonetheless, it only galvanized resistance among our heroes. Yet today, a troubling reality overshadows this remembrance. Many descendants of our veterans live in poverty; this is their daily struggle in sharp contrast to the promise of the nation for which their fathers laid down their lives. Our independence, secured by the blood of our heroes, should uplift not just a privileged few but every #Zimbabwean. It is profoundly unjust that war comrades who gave everything now go uncounted, uncelebrated and unsupported, yet corrupt individuals are scripting their success stories through the looting of Zimbabwe's wealth. To the soldiers who launched the struggle at #Chinhoyi, we are forever indebted; your courage lit the path to liberation. Your legacy endures in our cause. #UZA pledges to uphold your vision of a nation where freedom is lived equally by all. We commit ourselves to transforming the ideals you fought for into tangible reality through inclusion, equitable opportunity and national unity. Fellow Zimbabweans, these heroes remain in our hearts and their legacy must guide our actions. Let us translate remembrance into responsibility by ensuring that every citizen benefits from the foundation they built. The promise of our liberation was for collective upliftment not just symbolic gestures or token inclusion. UZA stands here today, not just paying homage, but reaffirming that every Zimbabwean should share in the fruits of freedom they fought to secure. Our task now is to rebuild the noblesse for which our heroes waged war - and to redeem Zimbabwe, so that their sacrifice is forever honored through justice, equity and lasting prosperity for all. @263Chat @capitalkfm @Bulawayo24News @BusinessTimesZW @ChronicleZim @citezw @ercafrica @HeraldZimbabwe @HMetro_ @iharare @ManicaPostZim @matpulsezw @NewsDayZimbabwe @NewZimbabweCom @OpenParlyZw @SAPESTrust10 @SundayMailZim @thestandardzim @WeArePindula @ZCCinZim @Zimdaily @zimlive @zimcelebs1 @ZimEye @ZTNPrime #zimbabweheroesday #heroesdayzw #heroesday

I have noted that Government has officially announced the immediate ban on the importation and sale of secondhand clothing, as well as all night vending activities in our Central Business Districts (CBDs). While the stated goal of this policy is to restore order in urban centres and bring regulation to informal trading, it is important that we approach this issue not only with law but with empathy, common sense and realism. Let us be honest with each other.. Places like Mupedzanhamo clothed many of our people. Sakubva Musika has been the lifeline and business hub for countless families. From Chinhoyi rank market to Masvingo, Kwekwe, Kadoma, Chegutu and all other towns across Zimbabwe - secondhand clothing and vending have sustained livelihoods for decades. To suddenly cut off these avenues without addressing the root causes is not only unfair - it’s dangerous and shortsighted. Yes, we all want a clean, formalised, and well-regulated economy. But we must not lose sight of the fact that the majority of our Zimbabweans are surviving, not thriving. We cannot legislate away poverty. Any law that does not take into account chikonzero chaita musoro uteme is bound to push people into even more informal and unregulated spaces. We are not solving a problem - we are shifting it and likely intensifying the desperation. Poverty makes crime more likely as economically deprived people may turn to crime as a means of survival! Our economy has not yet recovered enough to absorb the informal sector into formal employment. The unemployment rate remains high, and incomes are low. This is the reason why people turn to secondhand clothes - not because they do not love new things, but because they cannot afford them. That’s the reality. It is not a matter of choice but of necessity. When we clamp down on informal traders without giving them alternatives, we are telling families to stop eating before we've provided a way for them to procure food. We are telling a mother to stop selling tomatoes before she finds an alternate income stream. That is not policy - that is cruelty masked as governance. Some of our fellow legislators need to reconnect with the everyday realities of the people they represent. We can’t pretend that everyone has a job or a stable source of income. Before we criminalise survival strategies, let us ask why people are in survival mode in the first place? Why not open up avenues for the revival of our textile industries and make affordable, locally manufactured products available to the market before depriving our enterprising citizens of their livelihoods? Why not create jobs first before robbing our people of their bread and butter! It is our duty as leaders to speak truth to power and advocate for balanced, humane policies. Let us push for gradual integration of informal traders into formal spaces - not sudden bans. Let us push for skills development, access to capital, and affordable business spaces before we criminalise vending. And most importantly, let us demand that our policies be rooted in the lives of the people, not just theories drafted in boardrooms. We cannot keep chasing symptoms while ignoring the root causes. #Zimbabweans deserve dignity, not punishment. Let us be the kind of Government that listens, understands, and acts with compassion. @263Chat @capitalkfm @Bulawayo24News @BusinessTimesZW @ChronicleZim @citezw @ercafrica @HeraldZimbabwe @HMetro_ @iharare @ManicaPostZim @matpulsezw @NewsDayZimbabwe @NewZimbabweCom @OpenParlyZw @SAPESTrust10 @SundayMailZim @thestandardzim @WeArePindula @ZCCinZim @Zimdaily @zimlive @zimcelebs1 @ZimEye @ZTNPrime