Let’s support those who stand with oppressed Zimbabweans to minimize state capture

The recent acceptance by Chimurenga music legend Thomas Mapfumo of a $1 million permanence payment and a luxury vehicle from controversial tenderpreneur Wicknell Chivayo has reignited a bitter, painful debate in Zimbabwe.

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For decades, Mapfumo’s voice was the undisputed soundtrack of resistance, giving courage to millions enduring state-sponsored oppression.

To watch a cultural icon of that stature accept lavish gifts from individuals aligned with the very system he once fiercely condemned feels like a gut-punch.

Yet, this incident is merely the latest in a disturbing pattern: figure after figure who once appeared uncompromising in their pursuit of justice suddenly folding at the sight of dangled cash and high-end SUVs.

Why are so many who dedicated their lives to speaking truth to power ultimately breaking?

We can bypass the so-called “men of God” who have joined this bandwagon.

Their betrayal of biblical callings to champion the poor in exchange for elite political favor is a story for another day.

Today, I want to focus on social justice advocates—for whom I am one—as this hits closer to home.

Why are we seeing more and more of us captured and compromised at the altar of ill-gotten wealth?

There is no denying that pure, unadulterated greed plays a massive role.

Scriptural warnings that the love of money is the root of all evil remain eternally relevant.

Even Judas Iscariot betrayed the Savior for thirty pieces of silver.

History confirms that when vast sums are dangled before human beings, few remain untouched.

The cynical adage that “every man has his price” finds tragic validation in contemporary Zimbabwe.

We have watched in utter dismay as people who previously risked their lives, faced relentless persecution, endured arbitrary arrests, or were driven into bitter self-exile suddenly mute their voices or rewrite their narratives the moment a luxury car key is placed in their hands.

Many of these individuals already enjoyed comfortable careers and established reputations; no logical excuse exists for accepting wealth designed explicitly to buy their silence.

It is greed, pure and simple.

However, focusing solely on individual greed ignores a far more uncomfortable reality—one that does not excuse betrayal, but certainly explains the structural vulnerability that enables state capture.

Speaking out against injustice, corruption, and the looting of national resources in a repressive state is a dangerous, lonely, and thankless endeavor.

Choosing to be a voice for the voiceless effectively shuts economic doors.

In a country like Zimbabwe, association with those of us perceived as ‘anti-government’ carries severe paranoia and state retribution.

Private sector contracts dry up, employment opportunities vanish, and social ostracization sets in—particularly when one is not prepared to stop their social justice advocacy.

While some rely on foreign donor funding, I choose to remain strictly independent to ensure my work remains uncompromised by external agendas.

But this independence comes at a brutal personal cost.

I do not put my life on the line for personal profit; I do so out of a deep love for my country and its people.

Yet at the end of the day, courage does not pay my electricity bill, feed my children, cover school fees, or keep a roof over my head.

I am eternally grateful to the few who have been so kind—regardless of their own challenges—to support my work financially.

They do not do this out of abundance, but out of a shared belief in justice and truth.

Their quiet sacrifices are the very reason my pen remains active, and their solidarity is a constant reminder that we do not walk this difficult road entirely alone.

Nonetheless, the reality remains that independent voices are left acutely vulnerable.

When I return home after fearlessly calling out tyranny, I face the same crushing economic hardships as every other citizen—only with far fewer avenues to earn a living legally and safely.

This is where state capture finds its easiest entry point.

The ruling elite understand that when principled individuals are economically squeezed to the brink, our vulnerability spikes.

Before stones are cast at every advocate who eventually breaks under immense pressure, citizens must confront uncomfortable questions.

What have ordinary Zimbabweans done to sustain those who put everything on the line for them?

How have we helped ensure that independent voices can feed their families while fighting our collective battles?

How often do we consume this courage for free while expecting advocates to survive on applause alone?

Genuinely corrupt, opportunistic actors will always exist; no amount of community support will stop those driven solely by avarice from taking a payoff.

But for the sincere and dedicated advocates struggling to remain ethical, public support is the vital shield that keeps temptation at bay.

Minimizing state capture requires more than just moral outrage; it requires active, material solidarity from the people.

If Zimbabweans want uncompromising voices to stand with them in the darkest hours, they must be willing to stand with us in our everyday struggles.

The narrower we make the gap of economic necessity, the tighter we close the door on state capture.

• Tendai Ruben Mbofana is a social justice advocate and writer. Please feel free to contact him on +263715667700 or mbofana.tendairuben73@gmail.com