ZSCA Urges Action as Mutare Elders Decry Broken Promises on International Day for Older Persons

By Evans Jona

MUTARE – The usually quiet hall of St Columbus Presbyterian Church in Mutare came alive on Friday as dozens of elderly men and women gathered to mark the International Day for Older Persons. But beneath the laughter and occasional songs that punctuated the proceedings, a deep sense of pain and frustration reverberated. The commemorations, organised by the Zimbabwe Senior Citizens Association (ZSCA), turned into a platform where the elderly community poured out grievances over poverty, neglect, and broken promises by welfare institutions that are supposed to protect them.

Globally, the International Day for Older Persons is observed on 1 October to highlight the rights, welfare, and dignity of the ageing population. This year’s theme, “Fulfilling the Promises of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights for Older Persons: Across Generations,” carried particular significance in Zimbabwe, where the elderly often find themselves at the margins of economic development, battling failing health, lack of income, and family neglect. For many in attendance, the event was not just another calendar date; it was an opportunity to be heard.

A 73-year-old woman rose during discussions and spoke with a trembling voice about how she has been repeatedly promised financial aid through the Department of Social Welfare. “They keep telling us that money will be sent to our phones, but up to now nothing has come. Each time we wait in vain,” she said, as others nodded in agreement. Another elderly man, could not hold back his frustration. “Since 2023, we have been told to expect support, but nothing has materialized. It feels like they are just buying time,” he lamented. These testimonies painted a grim picture of how the social protection system has failed older citizens, many of whom no longer have the energy or strength to fend for themselves.

One of the most emotional accounts came from a 76-year-old grandmother who narrated how her grandchildren have become collateral damage in this cycle of neglect. “My grandchildren are regularly sent home from school because we cannot afford fees. I carry a letter from the welfare department, but the school does not recognize it. The children are constantly chased away, and their education is suffering. It breaks my heart every day,” she explained.

The event, attended by church leaders, community members and civic society representatives, was both a commemoration and an indictment. Speaking on the sidelines, St Columbus Presbyterian Church Colleague Minister, Rev Paul Neshangwe, reminded society that older persons are not asking for luxuries but for dignity and recognition. “What the elderly need most is recognition and love. As families and as a society, we must restore the dignity of our senior citizens. They deserve to feel valued, not forgotten,” he said. The Reverend’s words struck a chord, especially as Zimbabwe’s extended family system – once the bedrock of intergenerational care – has eroded under the weight of economic hardship and migration. Many elderly people are left to raise grandchildren whose parents are either in the diaspora or have succumbed to the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Despite the hard-hitting testimonies, the commemoration also offered moments of relief and humanity. Charterbridge Pharmacy partnered with ZSCA to provide free diabetes, hypertension and weight screenings, ensuring that many elders got rare access to basic medical check-ups. “Most conditions affecting the elderly can be managed if detected early. Regular check-ups are not a luxury; they are a necessity for a longer, healthier life,” explained Charterbridge Pharmacy representative Isaiah Katsaruware, as he attended to a line of elders waiting for their blood pressure to be tested. After the screenings, the elderly were treated to a filling warm lunch, a plate of rice, chicken roast, sausages, and vegetables, which many described as a much-needed act of kindness. For some, it was the first wholesome meal in days. They were also given a platform to share survival skills, from subsistence gardening tips to community pooling of resources, as they encouraged each other to remain resilient in a society often marked by uncertainty and lack of hope.

Zimbabwe’s elderly population faces multiple challenges, many stemming from the collapse of formal pension schemes, hyperinflation, and underfunded social protection systems. The COVID-19 pandemic worsened their plight, exposing them to poverty and social isolation. According to HelpAge Zimbabwe, a significant proportion of older people live below the poverty line, depending on remittances, handouts, or informal trading. For those in rural areas, access to health care remains a luxury, with many walking long distances to clinics where medicines are often in short supply. In urban centres like Mutare, the elderly compete with the young for scarce jobs, leaving many resorting to vending or begging. Yet, as the theme of this year’s commemoration suggested, their rights are not privileges but entitlements enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The challenge remains translating these principles into practice.

For the Zimbabwe Senior Citizens Association, Friday’s event was not just about speeches and songs but about raising a collective voice. ZSCA Chairman Patrick Ndlovu pledged to take the elders’ concerns to the authorities. “We cannot continue watching our elders suffer in silence. As ZSCA, we will take these grievances directly to the relevant ministries and fight to ensure their voices are heard,” said Ndlovu, his tone firm and resolute. He emphasised that the association would not rest until the elderly received the support they deserve. “It is not charity they are asking for. It is justice. They contributed to building this country, and they must be treated with the respect they earned,” he added.

As the event wound down, the hall was filled with both warmth and sombre reflection. The elderly sang hymns of hope, some clapping, others swaying gently in their seats. But the testimonies of neglect lingered heavily in the air. For the 73-year-old grandmother waiting endlessly for promised funds, the day ended with a bittersweet feeling – grateful for the meal and medical checks, yet still burdened by the uncertainties of tomorrow. For Rev Neshangwe, the message was clear: society must shift its mindset towards older persons, viewing them not as a burden but as carriers of wisdom and experience. For ZSCA, the event was another reminder of the urgent need to bridge the gap between policy and reality.

As the world marked International Day for Older Persons, the message from Mutare was stark, the elderly are not asking for miracles, but for promises to be honoured. “Older people should not live and die in silence,” said Ndlovu in his closing remarks. “Their voices must echo across generations, reminding us that a society that neglects its elders is a society that has lost its soul.” The commemoration at St Columbus ended with a prayer, but also with a challenge: that the struggle for dignity, recognition, and care for Zimbabwe’s elderly must move beyond annual events and find expression in everyday policy and practice.