Every Generation must Discover its Mission 

Gift Siziva is a Zimbabwean human rights activist, with degrees in Political Science and International Relations from the University of Zimbabwe. He holds a post-graduate certificate on leading non-violent movements for social change, from Harvard Kennedy school. He is doing his PhD Politics and Governance at the University of the Free State

In 2024, Gift was one of sixty Members of Parliament illegally removed from Parliament when they would not support the agenda to extend the sitting president’s term of office. So despite being the National Deputy Spokesperson of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) and a Member of Zimbabwe’s Parliament, Gift is unable to represent his constituency politically these days.

Instead, he engages in diverse community projects across the wards. At the time of the interview, he had just returned from a funeral. “When the elderly pass away, many do not have funeral policies because of the state of the economy. We assist them with a decent burial.”

Far from dampening his enthusiasm, this development work nourishes his sense of purpose. “I’m involved in politics today because I know what it is to live a jobless existence and wake up to an empty stomach. Whenever I get privileges through different platforms, I remind myself that my privilege is born out of the real grievances and aspirations of ordinary people. We have to fight for an equal society, for a just society where everyone can live better.”

Gift’s first experience of Zimbabwe’s deep inequality began when he came to Harare for the first time as a student at the University of Zimbabwe, age 19. “Our struggle was not just about getting more bones for soup but about accessing quality education.” But he quickly learned that the struggles of students for academic freedom were intertwined with much broader struggles. Education opened Gift’s eyes to a much wider and deeper solidarity with struggles around the world and throughout history. “We started reading Steve Biko, Martin Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi. We began to understand that struggles are born out of inspiration, and that as Fanon says, “every generation must discover its mission, must define its role in society.”  “As student leaders, we realised that there is no revolution without a revolutionary theory. We became passionate about reading. That’s my greatest lesson … leaders must read, must invest in theory and understanding and be in
search of knowledge to answer the questions of the day.”

“Since those early years and since getting the Canon Collins scholarship, we have faced many obstacles but also victories. We brought a lot of young people and women into Parliament. Zimbabweans were losing faith about democracy as a pathway to change government, but when they saw young men and women coming in, they were inspired.

“Out of 32 cities in the country, our party managed to secure 31 of them and we then deployed female mayors to run those cities. That for us is part of pushing back on authoritarian consolidation in the country through peaceful and democratic means.

“Zimbabwe has suffered for a long time, and poverty has made people to want change by any means necessary or unnecessary. So those of us who are convinced that democracy is the best form of government must continue to hold the flag higher.

“With the rise of barbarism and populism, we must stand tall on the possibilities, benefits and advantages of pursuing our politics in democratic and peaceful means.