Adios ZIMCODD 

Comrades, one of Zimbabwe’s leading academic once said “perennial wisdom from divine revelation and human experience dictates that all earthly things great or small, beautiful or ugly, good or bad, sad or happy, foolish or wise must finally come to an end.” 

It is from this material reality that I inform you comrades that I will be leaving the Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development (ZIMCODD). I have served ZIMCODD for 3 years and 3 months. And during this period, I was initially employed as a Programme Assistant in 2018 and later on promoted (by God’s grace) a year later to the position of Citizen Engagement and Advocacy Officer.  

Comrades, I joined ZIMCODD on the 7^th of May 2018 after spending close to three years as an unemployed University of Zimbabwe graduate. In between, I was involved in different activist initiatives chief among them being a leading member of the #ThisGown movement. 

But before I joined ZIMCODD I had the wonderful privilege of taking part in a one-year youth leadership training programme (in 2017), under the auspices of the Friedrich-Ebert Stiftung (FES) Zimbabwe Youth Leadership Programme. I have decided to mention the FES-YLT programme because it is from this unique training that I met the wonderful and ever friendly Aulline Chapisa-Mabika. Comrade Aulline was to later play a very key and decisive role in my being employed at ZIMCODD in 2018. 

Comrades I was at Harare Sports Club on a sunny day watching the Chevrons play a cricket world cup qualifier match when I received a call from comrade Aulline asking me what I was doing after the YLT programme. I unequivocally told her that if the question was in direct relation with formal employment well, I was waking up every day to the blessing of a jobless existence and an empty stomach. Immediately she said “…don’t worry you will be going to Germany in June, but before you go you will receive an email.” Comrades the email came and the rest is history. 

As I pen this piece, I want to say that I am grateful to ZIMCODD for taking the risk of employing a skinny, rough, inexperienced Ndau boy who knew absolutely nothing about professionalism. Someone who in short, had never had the opportunity of being employed in a tuck-shop to say the least. 

So, I am grateful for the 3 years I spent at ZIMCODD. ZIMCODD was more than an employer, it became my second home and family. The opportunities that ZIMCODD opened for me during my time with this progressive institution are too numerous to mention. But let me tell you that through ZIMCODD for the past three years I have had the opportunity of visiting 6 SADC countries. I have had the unique opportunity of interfacing with Parliamentarians and other duty bearers in Zimbabwe. ZIMCODD allowed me to develop as a professional, and in Leon Trotsky’s lexicon I am now a professional revolutionary through ZIMCODD. I am more than grateful. 

Comrades, I will not use this particular blog post to elaborate or let alone brag about what I think are my achievements at ZIMCODD. This I will leave to the ZIMCODD Management, the team I worked with, The National Board and its members in particular Social and Economic Justice Ambassadors that I worked with during my ZIMCODD tenure. All I can say is that despite being fallible, I tried my level best to execute my duties and responsibilities and I am convinced that, though small, my contribution to the struggle for social and economic justice in Zimbabwe will be remembered in posterity. 

Comrades ZIMCODD remains a very important movement for social and economic justice in Zimbabwe and if you are reading this and you are not a ZIMCODD member please go on the organization’s website and become a member with a difference. At present there are a lot of social and economic injustices in Zimbabwe and it is through a vibrant people-centered movement like ZIMCODD that citizens from all walks of life can meaningfully confront these injustices. 

So, what’s next? 

Comrades there is only one constant in life. That constant is called change. Change that is dynamic, change that is organic, change that’s is transformative. I have equally decided to embrace change. 

At the heart of my activism since 2012, has been the constitution of Zimbabwe, its values, its principles and its ethos-which is that of being owned by Zimbabweans. The constitution must be made a living document by both the State and we the citizens. Sadly comrades, we have noticed regression in terms of the State’s ability to uphold, defend and more importantly implement the seemingly progressive constitution. 

To this end, I will be spearheading with others a constitutional movement. Our aim will be to popularize the Constitution of this beautiful country among every citizen. From Zambezi to Limpopo, Malipati to Dande, Checheche to Ntabazinduna we will be popularizing and teaching the constitution to fellow countrymen. 

At this juncture I wont’s say more but rather to indicate that by our fruits you shall know us. 

Gracias, Thank You, Ndinobonga yamhoo, Ngiyabonga kakhulu, Ndinotenda Zvikuru ZIMCODD. 

Nqobizitha Mlambo is a Social and Economic Justice Activist, he writes here in his professional capacity and can be contacted on nqobizitha.mlambo@section7.co.zw 

Aluta Continua !!