Tinotenda Hove – The Action Democratic Movement (ADM) has called on Zimbabweans to reclaim their power and restore national dignity, drawing inspiration from Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o’s iconic liberation figure, Matigari. In a statement issued on Monday, ADM leader Alice Nyamande said the country must unite in truth, justice and peaceful democratic action.

Nyamande opened her address with a symbolic message: “Today, I speak to you in the spirit of Matigari — not as a warrior of violence, but as a seeker of truth, justice, and dignity.”

She said the fictional character’s journey mirrored Zimbabwe’s own struggle for freedom and fairness. “Matigari walked through the forest in search of what had been stolen from the people: their land, their voice, their freedom, their future. His journey is our journey. His questions are our questions. His courage is our inheritance.”

The ADM leader condemned the deepening inequality and long-standing culture of suffering in the country. “For too long, Zimbabweans have been made to accept suffering as normal and inequality as destiny,” she said. “We have watched our resources enrich the few while the many struggle to eat, work, learn and live with dignity.”

Despite these challenges, Nyamande said the resilience of ordinary citizens remained unbroken. “We are a proud people. We are a resilient people. And we are a people worthy of better.”

She warned that oppression was not only physical but also “mental, spiritual and economic,” adding that true power lies in the collective will of the people, not in political elites. “True power belongs to a conscious, united and determined people.”

Nyamande positioned the ADM as a non-violent and transformative alternative. “We do not seek revenge. We seek renewal. We do not worship power. We respect service. Our mission is not to destroy Zimbabwe — it is to heal her.”

Addressing various groups across society, she said: “To the young people: you are not lost, you are waiting to be called. To the workers and vendors: your labour is not valueless, it is the backbone of this nation. To the mothers and fathers: your tears have not been ignored, they have been heard. To the elders: your wisdom will guide us back to our true path.”

Nyamande emphasised that Zimbabweans must not see each other as enemies. “Our enemy is corruption. Our enemy is injustice. Our enemy is hopelessness. And these enemies can be defeated — not through bloodshed, but through unity, organisation, education, courage and peaceful democratic action.”

She concluded by reaffirming the ADM’s commitment to truth and principled leadership. “As Matigari searched for truth, so too will we. As he refused to bow to injustice, so too will we stand firm. But our weapons will be vision, policy, integrity, compassion and the determination to build a new Zimbabwe.”