Yolanda Kanyai vying for Palmerston Council position in 2025 local government elections

With just more than a month to go until the NT local government elections, this Zimbabwe-born footballer and youth advocate has shared her message with Palmerston voters.

Yolanda Kanyai was a finalist for the NT News Woman of the Year. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Yolanda Kanyai is quick to note Palmerston needs a stronger voice for young people within its council chambers.

Despite being home to a median age of 32, the Zimbabwe-born footballer says the city’s council doesn’t reflect this.

“We’ve got quite an old council,” the 29-year-old told the NT News.

She will be looking to change that narrative on August 23, with Ms Kanyai set to run for a councillor position.

Ms Kanyai said if she was elected she would “amplify youth voices in decision making and contribute to innovative ideas”.

“That’s my intention, to try and empower other aspiring young leaders,” she said.

Ms Kanyai moved to the Territory in 2016 as an international student.

Kanyai founded her social enterprise in 2021. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

In 2021 she founded her social enterprise known as Vibrant Diverse Cultures Incorporated, which she said came about after “realising there weren’t many services supporting multicultural people”.

“That was from my experience as a migrant at that time when I was struggling to actually get support,” she said.

“That’s where the idea came about, to try and support people from multicultural backgrounds to access services that might otherwise be challenging to access.”

Kunyai, who currently plays for Mindil Aces Football Club, was also selected to play for the Zimbabwe Women National Senior Team earlier this year.

She said it was significant to showcase women in sports by playing at that level.

“I feel like we are under-represented in that realm, so that was me trying to champion that role and also work with young people,” she said.

Kanyai says she has only ever done her work out of passion. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

To add to her accolades, Ms Kanyai was named Young Citizen of the Year in Palmerston in 2025 – a feat she said she still struggles to believe — as well as being named a finalist in the Champions of Sport category for the NT News Woman of the Year 2025.

“It’s honestly overwhelming,” she said.

“My work that I do is out of passion, so getting an award of recognition for something that I’m passionate about was the biggest thing to me.”

Originally published as Yolanda Kanyai vying for Palmerston Council position in 2025 local government elections