Year 2024 has been a frustrating year for me. In August 2023 the dream of a better Zimbabwe was shattered by yet another sham election. Post the election, the opposition party began to disintegrate from within shattering any hope for democratic consolidation and influence in Zimbabwe. The economy has been on a free fall, the government is working tirelessly to close the little civic space that existed, and the donor/funding community seems fatigued about supporting human rights and social movement strengthening in the country.

For the first time in my 20 years of civic life I began questioning my choice of staying in Zimbabwe when others are migrating to South Africa, Europe, America and Canada. Every day I quizzed myself why I have not left? Every week I insulted myself for having the stubborn belief that I have a contribution to a better Zimbabwe. Every month I asked myself – why don’t you pack your bags and leave?

When I accepted the invitation to join the 2024 Church Land Program Uhambo program I wanted to get a chance to learn how to do social justice activism better. Little did I know I was packing bags for a shock journey of my life.

Walking In Front of a Mirror

The visits to and conversations with Abahlali Basemjondolo community and offices; the toxic tour with South Durban Community Environmental Alliance; the Ujamaa Centre for Biblical and Theological Community Development and Research; and the Church Land Program offices  – mirrored all the duties I have been doing and I had purposed to abandon. The dedication to seek justice in the face of life threatening repression; the discipline to nonviolent civil resistance even when attacked by naked provocation; and the tenacity to defend and promote human dignity was on steroids. It was a mirror image of the situation at home and the struggles our communities are facing, the same struggles that challenged me to establish a social movement strengthening organization in the first place.

The Dead Man by the Fishing River

In Durban we took an evening walk to the beach and along the way we met an unpleasant sight of a man who had died by the river bank. Whilst the police had barricaded the area and were still managing the situation, other fishermen were continuing with their trade as if unmoved by the lifeless body next to them. The incident still plays in my mind. Whilst leaving one’s home and country to ‘greener pastures’ to look for money is a lucrative idea – some are going there and fail to catch the fish as they die. The questions I am still asking myself are: what will die in me and around me if I abandon the struggle for human dignity and justice? How many people will ‘die’ due to my decision? How many hopes, dreams, aspirations and generations will ‘die’ by my abandoning my civic activism duties?

The Brick Bed

The last leg of the Uhambo pilgrimage journey was in Pietermaritzburg. When I checked into my hotel room I noted that the bed base was permanently fixed in the middle of the room using brick and mortar. Who in this sane world uses brick and mortar to make a bed base, and worse in a hotel? But guess what, it was one of the most comfortable beds that my body has ever slept on.

Someone may wonder – what does this have to do with the Uhambo program? Well if you are me, a spiritual man in search of which way to go in life – this is more than a bed base. I remember standing by the door watching the rain fall outside and reflecting on the stupidity of designing a brick and mortar bed base in a hotel. It was during that moment that I realized that indeed God speaks to us in mysterious ways – even bed based. I noted that I have been fixed purposefully in the middle of the Zimbabwean and African civic society room for a reason. The room I am fixed in may look uncomfortable now but the purpose is to be a source of comfort, hope and answer to generations – I have a role to play.

Stoking Fires

As I left the Uhambo pilgrimage program, I was given a candle. If you are coming from a country like mine where electricity power cuts are so rampant in urban areas to the point that when you spend the whole day with electricity at home you are tempted to call the power company and report a fault – you will know that a candle is not and will never be a souvenir! But not my Uhambo candle. Somehow it found a perfect spot on my home office table because it is not just a candle – it is a reminder to me that we are the light of the world, purposefully placed inside fragile communities for a time like this.

What Next?

I had thought Uhambo program will teach me something about social movement building for social and economic justice – but alas. There is a Zimbabwe Ndebele (close to Zulu) proverb which says “ukuhamba kuzala induna” (a king is discovered through travelling). The 2024 Uhambo Pilgrimage Program helped me to rediscover the self that I had lost, reconnect with my being that had died by the river of economic pursuit, and reignite the dying flames of my purpose and vision for life. It was not a journey to be taught – but a journey to remember where I have fallen. To remember the ancient paths to human rights, justice and humanity. To remember why we exist. I returned home with a candle – a source of light to illuminate my activism paths in the midst of lingering shadows of authoritarian and capitalist darkness. To ignite the route as I keep walking towards justice, peace and human dignity. I am still going – I am going nowhere and somewhere!!