Zimbabweans will never be free as long as the fight for justice is about personal glory

The corruption of power is not only found in the corridors of government—it has also seeped deep into the hearts of those who claim to fight that very power.

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This morning, a reader commented on my recent article where I condemned attempts by President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s loyalists to extend his stay in office beyond the constitutional two five-term limit ending in 2028.

The reader said something that struck me to the core, something we all know but rarely have the courage to admit: we, the people of Zimbabwe, are as much to blame for our oppression as those who rule over us.

The truth is harsh but undeniable.

Our leaders act as though Zimbabwe is their personal property not because they are extraordinarily powerful, but because they know we will never stand in their way.

They have learned to exploit our silence, our cowardice, and above all, our selfishness.

As a people, we have become experts in justifying inaction—hiding behind excuses about fear, repression, or the illusion that politics has nothing to do with us.

Yet, the painful reality remains: these are just rationalizations for our fear.

When we look beyond our borders, we see citizens who refuse to cower before tyranny.

In Madagascar, for instance, ordinary people recently took to the streets for weeks, demanding the resignation of President Andry Rajoelina.

Despite brutal crackdowns, they refused to back down until even the soldiers sent to suppress them joined their cause.

The same happened in Egypt during the 2011 Arab Spring, where millions risked their lives to reclaim their dignity from dictatorship.

In Zimbabwe, however, we hide behind our curtains, whispering our anger but never daring to act.

We somehow expect our oppressors to miraculously transform into liberators, even as they continue to bleed the nation dry.

But the problem does not lie only with the ordinary citizen.

It also lies with those who claim to lead the fight for justice and democracy—our opposition politicians, civil society leaders, and human rights defenders.

Here lies a rot even more tragic than the cowardice of the masses: selfishness disguised as activism.

Those who are supposed to be the moral compass of our nation have become consumed by ego and personal ambition.

Let’s be brutally honest.

The struggle for justice in Zimbabwe has become less about the people and more about personal glory.

Too many of those who claim to be “voices of the voiceless” have become self-centred opportunists feeding off the suffering of the people.

Unity has eluded us because no one wants to share the spotlight.

We guard our small fiefdoms of influence like jealous kings, suspicious of anyone who dares suggest collaboration.

We compete for recognition rather than for results.

If you doubt this, try reaching out to some of the country’s prominent activists or opposition figures.

You will likely be met with silence.

Not because they are too busy fighting tyranny, but because collaboration threatens their individual shine.

In our circles, many fear being outshone more than they fear national failure.

We crave the validation that comes with being flown across the world to speak on international platforms, attending conferences in Geneva, New York, or Paris—returning home with little more than social media pictures and inflated egos.

We love being known as “that human rights defender,” or “that social justice advocate.”

The glamour of activism has overtaken its purpose.

And yet, for all the international trips, panel discussions, and donor-funded projects, what real change have we achieved?

Over 80 percent of Zimbabweans still live in abject poverty.

Parents still go to bed wondering how they will feed their children tomorrow.

Millions of young people are unemployed, wasting away in despair.

Hospitals remain death traps without medicine, equipment, or even basic diagnostic tools.

Our public schools are overcrowded and under-resourced, while our roads crumble and water taps run dry.

We have failed the people—not because we lacked knowledge or platforms, but because we lost sight of the cause.

We have turned people’s pain into a career opportunity.

For many, activism is no longer a calling—it’s a lifestyle.

Donor money has replaced compassion.

Awards have replaced accountability.

The oppressed have become props for personal branding.

We are quick to post our arrests or harassment online, eager for sympathy and status, forgetting that true revolutionaries do not seek fame—they seek change.

Meanwhile, those in power watch this circus and laugh.

They know that we are too divided, too self-absorbed to mount any meaningful resistance.

They see through our posturing.

And because of that, they continue to violate the Constitution, loot national resources, and crush dissent without consequence.

They understand that our so-called leaders of change are too busy polishing their profiles to unite the people.

Let’s face it: the fight for freedom in Zimbabwe has been hijacked by egos.

Until we confront this truth, we will never be free.

The people are betrayed twice—first by the rulers who oppress them, and then by the activists who exploit their suffering for personal gain.

Every dollar misused, every voice silenced by selfishness, every opportunity for unity squandered—these are acts of betrayal against the ordinary Zimbabwean.

I do not fear speaking this truth, even if it means being ostracized by the civil society community or opposition movements.

I am not beholden to donors, nor am I in this for recognition.

I do what I do because I love my country and its people.

I have lived long enough without funding or luxury, and I can live the rest of my life that way if it means remaining true to my principles.

What matters to me is not being seen, but seeing my people free.

Zimbabwe will not be liberated by those who love the sound of their own voices more than the cries of the poor.

Real change will only come when we put aside our egos, abandon our hunger for glory, and work together for a cause greater than ourselves.

Until then, the chains that bind us will not be broken by the oppressors—they will be held tight by our own hands.

And that is the saddest truth of all: Zimbabweans will never be free as long as the fight for justice is about personal glory.

• Tendai Ruben Mbofana is a social justice advocate and writer. Please feel free to WhatsApp or Call: +263715667700 | +263782283975, or email: mbofana.tendairuben73@gmail.com, or visit website: https://mbofanatendairuben.news.blog/