BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI
Matabeleland region has by far the highest number of people living outside Zimbabwe, preliminary results of the 2022 census released by the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (Zimstat) released on Tuesday have revealed.
Matabeleland South has the highest share of people in the diaspora at 33 percent followed by Matabeleland North at 24 percent.
Bulawayo has the fourth highest proportion of people in the diaspora at 22 percent after Masvingo, which is third at 23 percent.
“Matabeleland South province had the largest proportion; 33 percent of households that experienced loss of members through emigration while Matabeleland North and Masvingo provinces experienced a loss of 24 percent and 23,” the Zimstat report says.
“Most of the persons, 84 percent (761,548 out of 908,907) emigrated for employment reasons while nine percent and five percent emigrated for family reasons and study/education respectively,”
Meanwhile, Zimstat says there were less than one million Zimbabweans, who left the country since 2012 to look for greener pastures or do studies in other nations.
The statistics agency indicated that 908,914 left the country in the last 10 years with South Africa, Botswana and the United Kingdom the preferred destinations.
It said South Africa accounted for 773,246, Botswana (74,928), Britain (23,166) and USA (8,565)
There were more males (59%) leaving the country compared to females with the younger population (20-24years) seeking new life outside Zimbabwe.
The majority, more than 84%, left Zimbabwe to seek employment opportunities while others left to join their families or to study.
Despite Zimstat’s figures, it is believed between four to five million Zimbabweans live in the diaspora, largely driven by deteriorating economic conditions since 2000. – Additional reporting by VOA