Nyasha Musikambesa, Founder of The Eastern Caucus (TECa), joined prominent African policy thinkers at the Africa Urban Economic Freedom Think Roundtable during the recent New Cities Summit, hosted by the Charter Cities Institute. The session, expertly moderated by Linda Kavuka of Students For Liberty, convened a dynamic group including representatives from the Nkafu Policy Institute, Aimable Manirakiza (CDE Great Lakes), Donald Tlaka (Johannesburg New Liberals), Emmanuel Acquah CMgr MCMI (ACEYE Ghana), and Evans Exaud (Liberty Sparks).
This critical roundtable delved into market-friendly policy solutions for the continent’s pressing urban challenges. Discussions centered on innovative approaches to housing affordability, sustainable infrastructure development, efficient land use reforms, and scalable job creation strategies. The round table encompassed all essential pillars for building thriving African cities. During the session, Nyasha presented TECa’s ground breaking work in Zimbabwe. He detailed our initiative to being at the forefront of fundamentally shifting the mindsets of Zimbabwean youths regarding economic development.
“Our focus, is moving beyond a dependency on handouts and subsidies. We are actively cultivating a new generation of entrepreneurs equipped to drive progress through Special Economic Zones (SEZs).”
TECa fosters this transformation through Prosperity Catalysts Clubs, platforms where young people develop sustainable enterprises. A key strategic goal is paving the way for co-financing models within SEZs. This approach empowers youth to become active investors and stakeholders in their nation’s development, attracting private capital alongside public investment to build resilient local economies.
We are deeply grateful to Mark Lutter, Jeffrey Mason, and the rest of the Charter Cities Institute for affording us the space and platform to contribute to the vital discussion on policy-driven urban solutions as it is a very crucial aspect in the wake of rapid urbanisation in Zimbabwe. We also applaud Charter cities for a well organised summit whose outcomes will play a critical role in shaping the frameworks needed for the emergence of truly smart cities across Africa, cities built on economic freedom and opportunity for all.
The roundtable underscored the vital role of think tanks and youth empowerment organizations in collaboratively designing and implementing the innovative policies required to unlock Africa’s vast urban potential. TECa’s work exemplifies how changing mindsets and fostering entrepreneurial ecosystems are fundamental steps towards sustainable urban prosperity.
The gathering powerfully embodied the wisdom of the African proverb:
“If you want to travel fast, go alone. If you want to travel far, travel as a group.”
While individual initiatives can spark change, the sheer scale of Africa’s urban challenges, projected populations, infrastructure deficits, and job creation pressures demands collaborative power. The roundtable demonstrated how policy-driven solutions gain exponential force when diverse minds from across the continent converge. Think tanks, youth organizations, and urban specialists sharing insights create a multiplier effect, accelerating the development and refinement of viable frameworks far beyond what any single entity could achieve alone.