Is it time for the African democrats to take a more militant approach after M7 scored another one for the dictators?

 

By Prince Gora

Bobi Wine (real name Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu) took the African political landscape by storm late last year such that by the time that the Ugandans went to polls on January 14, many democrats, particularly my fellow Zimbabweans, had fallen in love with him. His bravery and style was rightly lauded and many prophesised his victory.

I too added my plaudits to Bobi Wine as I couldn’t help but marvel at his inspiring bid for the Ugandan state house but I was very sceptical about him actually taking over state power. That belief is very unpopular and considered pessimistic by most of my peers but I had and still have solid points to back it up. 

For starters, Uganda has been virtually ruled by dictators since its independence in 1966 including a 9-year calamitous rule of Field Marshall Idi Amin Dada, one of the world’s worst ever dictators. Dictators, as you all know, generally don’t respect nor care about the voice and wishes of the people. Secondly and perhaps most importantly, Bobi’s case is not an isolated one. Nigeria had Atiku Abubakar in 2019 while we had our very own Nelson Chamisa in 2018. All these three men inspired a generation and had most of us believing that change had indeed arrived but in the end it was all too little too late for them because even though they garnered massive votes in the general elections, state power still proved to be elusive owing to one reason or another (that is just me politely saying they were RIGGED out of the presidency).

AU - Authoritarians Union?

The violence - which has been well publicised - instigated on Bobi Wine and his supporters by the Ugandan government has been shocking and the internet blackout of the country is known as well. It is for these reasons that one finds it mind-boggling that the EAC (East African Community) and the AU (African Union) never uttered a single word condemning the actions of M7 and his cabal. But then, again… this is not an isolated case, the dictators’ club kept quite too when Buhari switched off street lights to shoot unarmed civilians and they turned a blind eye during the shenanigans of August 01, 2018 in Zimbabwe.

When you take a much closer look, the silence of the African Union and its regional blocks on critical issues becomes less surprising. In a way, it in fact begins to make sense. These authoritarians lead these organisations after all and it is only natural that they watch over each other’s backs. They are united against change and determined to stay in power.

A democratic Africa, therefore, will not be fronted by the AU or any of the old guard, we - the young people - will have to do it and for that we need to be united and well-coordinated. If we’re not well coordinated as we currently are, then our quest for a democratic Africa will be a very long one.

Should we quit contesting elections?

My generation is understandably frustrated. They want change as soon as yesterday and they want it instantly. Talk about elections to my fellow citizenry and they will immediately tell you about the last rigged one and why they will never vote again.

Many have started calling for a change of tactics and are encouraging activists and opposition figures alike to take a more militant approach. Some have even gone to the extent of declaring that we need to go to war to democratise Zimbabwe.

I want change too but I believe that taking the path that we’re advised to take is to err. Waging a war is not only wrong but it is almost not executable. “ZANU and ZAPU launched a war against Smith so we have to do the same,” they argue. Well, I don`t think so. Firstly, such an action is against democratic values and secondly, while Kaunda and Machel welcomed Zimbabwean soldiers into their lands back then, I doubt that Edgar Lungu and Phillip Nyusi will do likewise today, for example.

Way Forward: Should we just resign to fate then?

The answer is NO. We need to keep fighting but we need to forge new strategies, strengthen our ties with other democratic forces, be realistic and patient. I believe that democracy will eventually prevail but it won’t be instant and instant doesn’t last anyway...look at the November coup for example. 

I will end by quoting Bill Gates who said, “Most people overestimate what they can achieve in a year and underestimate what they can achieve in ten years.’’

Take up your losses, raise up your head and move on with life!

 By Prince Gora

Yesterday I had an experience that made me pause, breathe and reflect on myself a bit deeper than I usually do. Traffic was hellish between 1700hrs and 1800hrs on my way home from the CBD and the kombi (minibus) I had boarded ended up taking an unfamiliar detour to beat the congestion. As a precaution, I had to tell the driver, whom I was fortunately sitting next to, my destination. Three times, he assured me that he would make sure I got to my stop safely and on time.

But when we finally got to my hood, to my horror, I realized that the unfamiliar route had betrayed me and we had long passed my stop. When I inquired, the driver stopped the kombi and said the conductor* would refund me enough for a ride back. When I engaged the conductor, though, he only handed me a third of what I needed, and my attempts to protest merely resulted in him pocketing the coins before signaling the driver to speed off, leaving me stranded. There was nothing else to do but lick my wounds and move on.

I expected to feel bitter and think of every curse word that was ever invented. Instead, I simply understood that it was me who wanted to get home, accepted my fate and moved on. The reaction suprised even me and I obviously had to self introspect. How did I get here?

Then I remembered how I grew up. My parents split up while I was still young and largely defaulted on my upkeep. My upbringing was, as a result, a patchwork of many people stepping in, to whom I am, of course, greatly indebted. Growing up like that wasn't easy though and I had to quickly learn that things seldom go one's way in life. I also learned that it is far much more important to live to fight another day than to invest all my energy in a hopeless losing battle.

 

When things don't go your way in life, fight if you must but do not lose yourself while doing so. Sometimes it's a good idea to simply take your loss, raise up your head and move on with life because, as they say, "if we lose ourselves just to survive, would it even matter that we do?"

*Conductors are very common in Zimbabwe and assist the driver in boarding passengers, collecting fares, negotiating with the police and and handling any other issues that may arise while traveling.

P.S: The article was updated on August 5th, 2025. 

 

Young people must unite and rise up against Dictactorship in Africa!

What binds us together as young people living in Africa? Are we just a collection of individuals stuck in a continent? 

By Prince Gora

It was in early December of 2018 when I first had a real appreciation of the need for African youths to cooperate in their struggles. We were camped

at Africa University in Mutare for a Southern African Freedom Regional Advocacy Program (SAFRAP) meeting organized by Youth Empowerment and Transformation Trust (YETT). 

Until that point in time, I had lived with the false belief that Zimbabwe had a unique struggle. It quickly became clear to me that despite the physical borders imposed by the imperialists in the 19th century, Africa is still one big village and all our struggles are but an extension of the other as I watched in awe as one speaker after another narrated the challenges they were facing back home and the struggles they were fighting. 

The barbaric shooting of civilians in Nigeria a few days ago was frightening but it is by no means an isolated case. We had a similar thing in Zimbabwe in  January 2019 and in a style similar to that of Buhari's government switching off street lights while shooting people, the Zimbabwean government switched off the internet while it butchered its own people. Th

e South African government massacred workers at Marikana in 2012, the likes of Magufuli and Museveni are persecuting young people in their countries on trumped up charges everyday and millions of young Africans leave the continent yearly because their homelands have been made uninhabitable by filthy dictactors.

As young Africans, we must not sit back & hope that this will go away on its own because of the very simple reason that it won't. However, it will also be folly to act alone. We need to work together and cooperate. If there's one thing we can learn from these old dictactors, it is their ability to cooperate and to have each other's back. With the madness going on in Nigeria right now, that association of old dictators - the African Union - will most likely, to the surprise of noone, not speak a word against the barbaric actions of Buhari and his government.

Young people must rise up against DICTATORSHIP in African politics. Like young Africans who won independence for mother Africa, we need to cooperate and work with each other. Perhaps we need something in the form of an Organization of African Youth (OAY) inorder to fully cooperate. Our chances of winning are very slim when we are as divided as we are and fighting a group of united dictators as the AU.

Resisting ZANU Pf's oppression is risky, but doing nothing is riskier..!

Prince Gora | Zimbabwe's political environment is, in all honest, a very volatile environment. The price that one pays for being politically active  in this country is often times too high a price to pay. For simply being concerned about the affairs of his or her country, a Zimbabwean can easily get arrested, detained, beaten, harassed, abducted and even murdered. Mention names like Takudzwa Ngadziore, Tawanda Muchehiwa, Joana Mamombe and my point need not be made any more clearer.

Unsurprisingly, most of the Zimbabwean citizenry not only shun away from politics but actively, and innocently, encourages others to stay away from the so called 'dirty game'. "Unofira mahara (You will die for nothing)", "ZANU inoponda (ZANU murders people)", "Unopisirwa imba nadzo politics idzi (Your house will be set on fire -by ZANU PF supporters - because of  your political participation)", etc, are advises that are freely given to anyone who cares to listen to the average Zimbabwean. 

I am not here to rubbish such talk or advise for what my fellow countrymen and women say is indeed the truth. The Zimbabwean political history is littered with more than enough testimonies to validate these claims. 

But then, ....

This mentality plays right into the hands of Zanu Pf. If activists of our beloved motherland were not doing and saying the right things, the state wouldn't be spending so much money and resources to pursue them. Isn't it clear then that what the state desires is a citizenry that suffers in silence? A people that sees corruption but remain quiet? And that hears all the evil deeds of their government but still choose to direct their voices and energies elsewhere?

They may rig elections, steal our resources and taxes and harrass us however they want but that's not a victory for them nor a lose to us. Such a thing will only happen if we stop calling them to order, if we stop fighting for justice and our future. We must therefore never tire to raise our voices, we must never lose hope and we must never, ever stop fighting the oppressors.

Every time you raise a voice, every time you speak out, every time you stand up for a brother or sister, you are doing what the regime loathes so you're a champion because you are fighting!

There's nothing to be gained by abstaining from politics and I need not do anything more that just quote the wise words of men who lived a long time before me to prove my point:

"If you do not take interest in the affairs of your government, then you are doomed to live under the rules of fools" ~ Plato

"One of the penalties of refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors" ~ Plato

"The worst illiterate is the political illiterate. He hears nothing, sees nothing, takes no part in political life. He doesn't seem to know that the cost of living, the price of beans, of flour, of rent, of medicines, all depend on political decisions. He even prides himself in his political ignorance, sticks out his chest and says he hates politics. He doesn't know, the imbecile, that from his political non-participation comes the prostitute, the abandoned child, the robber and, worst of all, the corrupt officials, the lackeys of exploitative multinational corporations." ~ Beltort Brecht.

Fellow countrymen, we're lions, we need to roar. Remember no one is coming to liberate us so it's upon our shoulders to liberate ourselves, children, grandchildren and all those who will come after us!

Getting involved in politics is scary but so is everything else!

Introduction

I have always been intrigued by how nonpolitical people give advice to those who show interests in politics. At some point, soon after I began to see the sad toxic realities of Zim politics, I actually swore to myself that I will never get involved again but as it turned out, my love and concern for my beautiful country wouldn't allow me to walk away from the things that determine the future of my country.

After my recent arrest and detention, this kind of advice surfaced again from concerned friends and loved ones. It's not that what people will be saying is illogical or false, they actually speak the truth and what they say makes a lot of sense. The problem is that they forget that before joining politics, we first considered everything especially the dangers involved. It is not that we're not afraid nor that we are careless nor stupid. The truth is that we are afraid too, we see the possible consequences of getting involved too but most importantly, we see the consequences of doing nothing and choose to be courageous.

Below is a short article written by a fellow comrade about getting involved in Zimbabwean politics. It contains the answers that I have long known in my heart but have been unable to express.

By Benon B. Ncube

When we chose to be involved in politics, we knew what we were getting ourselves into. If you feel that it's too much for you, just stick to whatever you are doing and don't get into our lane. If you hate politics, hate it alone instead of inviting others to also hate it. The future of our country is largely dependent on our present politics and avoiding participation is suicidal and treasonous.

Do you honestly think that we don't know that people die by getting involved in Zimbabwean politics? Well, we do...but don't doctors die too? Drivers, teachers, musicians, your friends, family and you will die too.

We just chose to die after having done something for ourselves and the people around us.
We chose not to be used and disrespected. We chose not to fold our hands while being ill-treated.

We refused to look the other way while our future is being driven down the drain and chose to do what you are scared to do. We want to have an answer when the next generations ask us what we did to guard their future.

One way or the other, if it kills, it will get to you too. The question is "what are you doing about it?" Before you come to us telling us that we will be arrested, tortured, abducted, lose our lives, etc, keep in mind that we know this, maybe more than you do. You should know that it is you that should be worried by your attitude towards our nation's problems because whatever we are trying to deal with is affecting you or will affect you directly and indirectly in the near future.

When and if we fail to fullfil our mission, some other people will come up and take it from where we left from and one day, at long last, our motherland will be truly free.

We know what we got ourselves into and we know what we are doing, if you don't, just shut up and stay in your lane.

#ZinasuLives

Let's talk about #31July2020.

Prince Gora | The day has been trending since the beginning of the month when Mr. Jacob Ngarivhume declared it as yet another D-Day for the future of our beloved country. The response has been overwhelming, key opposition and civic society figures have endorsed the scheduled demonstration but critics and nay-sayers have dismissed it and expressed worries pointing out to previous "D-Days". They argue that these produced nothing but more suffering for the majority of the citizenry, many of whom were beaten, tortured, abducted or even murdered following such days.

The government, having learnt the hard way about the power of social media from previous cases, has not been slow in responding. Various ZANU PF and government officials have come out guns blazing warning Zimbabweans to not participate in the demonstration and labelling it's own kith and kin as terrorists. We've even started debating on "the real reason for the tightening of the lockdown restrictions". Some of my comrades have even began to cast doubts on the recent surge in Covid-19 cases - Is it just coincidence?

As the day approaches, I feel that it is pertinent to have discussions around the things that will make July 31st a success or failure.

1. Kutenda kusina mabasa kwakafa - action matters!

There has been much tough talk from both ends of the political divide during the month of July. Ultimately, what is going to seperate the boys from men is the action that is going to be implemented on July 31st. We're not new to tough talk, we've heard it all before and many a time, some of us have really believed that "ZANU PF will surely not escape this time around". It's a pity that we've been disappointed time after time, again and again. Hopefully, #31July2020 will be different.

Another thing we need to address is the myth that action doesn't matter. The myth that by taking action we're simply courting more atrocities from the regime. Well, if you believe that action doesn't matter then you haven't been reading between the lines. Let me challenge you to go to Zanu PF's Facebook or twitter page and tell them the truth, the truth they have failed and must leave the government and see what response you get. You can even record a video or write a personal letter to the president. Having done that, and keeping in mind whatever response you would have gotten, I would then challenge you to carry a placard and go to read it (while seating) in front of the ruling/ruining party's headquarters and see what response you will get.

There's a reason, comrades and friends, why many people talk tough and even insult the president and get away with it while anyone who dares to take any form of action, no matter how small or petty, is dealt with in a matter of minutes. Haven't you come across the qoute that says "Sticks and stones can break my bones but words will never harm me"? Action matters my fellow countrymen and women. Each time we've tried to take decisive action, the state has responded devastingly, that should tell you something...maybe we just need to be a little bit braver, a little bit more resilent and a little bit more determined.

2. Will the masses show up?

This is a question that is, by all accounts, being avoided by many. It is easy and understandable for someone to be overwhelmingly confident that the masses will show up given the response the scheduled demo has received on social media but I am still sceptical.

Lessons from the past.

I learnt this lesson the hard way. In November last year seven of my collegemates were served with suspension letters on a late Friday afternoon. Exams were scheduled to begin the following Monday. To say the least, I was outraged and immediately halted all last minute examination preps I was undertaking to stand up for my brothers. Among other things that I did in an endeavour to have the suspensions reversed was organising a demo in solidarity with these guys. After talking to a few comrades about the idea we decided to open a Whatsapp group. 20 minutes later, the group was full and we had to open another. I delegated this responsibility to other comrades and was told that a few more groups were created. Solidarity messages poured in their thousands and I had so much confidence that our demo was perhaps going to be the greatest college demo of all time.

Fast forward to midday Saturday, when the demonstration was scheduled to start. Our fellow students did stop their exam preps, came out of their hostels, hallrooms and classrooms but only less than 50 arrived at the actual venue. The rest took nice spots nearby and became spectators. Phones were out and people gossiped around.

I had another dance with this sad reality recently but because of legal complexities and for the sake of my comrades, I will not talk about it today.

 Masses failing to show up isn't new on the national scale, various D-Days have either flopped or turned violent because of this very fact so I will ask again, will the masses show up?

3. Expectations

A major talking point in the lead up to #31July2020 has been why not now? Why should we wait for that long? The arrest of Hopewell and Ngarivhume, if anything, should have been the signal and the perfect excuse to bring forward the revolution. The idea has been tossed around but I will wait for it's implementation.

The idea of waiting a whole month to stage a peaceful protest raises questions of goals and expectations. What exactly should happen for revolution to kickstart? Is it just the date? What are we expecting to achieve? And when are we going, if ever, to stop?

We need clear goals because only then can we truly rise as a people and pursue the goal until it is achieved!

©2020 P. Gora

16 JUNE; IT’S ABOUT THE AFRICAN CHILD, IT’S ABOUT THE STUDENT & IT’S ABOUT US

By Brighton Taruberekera

If black lives really matter, then 16 June should mean a lot for us as Africans. It is a day to commemorate and reminiscent the sad memories of June 16, 1976 whilst at the same time focusing on making the future brighter and better for all Africans especially its tender ones. 

Today is 16 June. Some forty years ago in the township of Soweto in South Africa, nearly ten thousand black students marched in the streets to protest over the poor quality of their education. They marched as a way to demonstrate their disapproval of the Black Education Act which segregated students based on their race.

The Soweto protest has come and gone but we have a couple of lessons to learn from that incident. Firstly, that black lives matter and that education should be accessible to all.

The Day of the African Child is an opportunity to raise awareness for the ongoing need to improve the education of children living across Africa. It’s a need that still very much exists today.  As I write this, thousands of African children are being denied the right to education. Across the continent, the Covid-19 induced lockdown measures have seen countries adopting e-learning as an alternative to conventional teaching methods. Education, once again has become a monopoly of the privileged few. It is no longer about burning candles and putting ink on paper. It is now about paperless browsing, streaming, downloading and uploading. The world is going paperless and who cares about those that still cannot afford even the paper itself?

Surely something need to be done to ensure that education is accessible to all. The future of Africa depends on its young ones. As we commemorate the Day of the African Child, let’s remember to make education accessible and affordable to all, especially to the African Child.



Brighton Taruberekera is a Zimbabwean citizen, politically active and socially interactive.

 tbmunyori@gmail.com | www.facebook.com/tbmunyori | taruberekera.blogspot.com