ZIMSTAT embarks on labour force survey

THE Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT) began its 2023 first quarter Labour
Force Survey – Household listing exercise last week Tuesday (11 January), which will run
until Tuesday 17.
This is in order to facilitate households to be covered in the same quarter’s labour force
survey.
The survey, which is conducted under the Census and Statistics Act (Chapt 10:29) of 2007
provides high frequency labour market statistics to inform Government on planning, human
capital development strategies, compilation of quarterly GDP and decision-making, among
other key uses.
The survey will also provide key labour market indicators which include; employment levels
(both formal and informal), unemployment prevalence, income levels, labour migration and
job losses.
In a statement, the agency said the exercise was being conducted in all provinces and
information collected is “strictly confidential and will be used for statistical purposes only”.
A number of graduates that spoke to Nehanda Guardian said they were very impressed by the
Government’s need to know the number of unemployed youths.
Charles Mapiki, a Chemical Engineering graduate currently selling detergents in Bindura,
said: “This is an indication that the Government is ready to do something for us (youths).
There is no need of funding the exercise if it is not going to benefit the nation. I am very
hopeful that this exercise will lead to Government and other progressive-minded people with
companies employing more people and opening more companies.”
Mapiki was supported by Fadzai Martin, a former Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Polytechnic
College student, who said she had been home since 2020 when she graduated.
“I went to train as a teacher because l want to contribute towards the improvement of the
country’s literacy rate and achieve its envisaged 2030 vision but, if l am home how am l
going to contribute then?” asked Martin.
The survey will provide the Government with key labour market indicators necessary to
monitor the implementation of the country’s macro-economic policies; the National
Development Strategy 1 and others.
It will also provide key labour market indicators for Zimbabwe that are comparable with
other SADC and African countries in line with international standards established by ILO as
well as indicators that allow monitoring of the implementation of the UN’s SDGs and the
AU’s Agenda 2063.