https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2297-3693
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ABSTRACT
Youth in fragile and conflict-ridden spaces are often constructed as violent and restless subjects who dismember the social fabric of society. Yet, many young people are using non-violent tactics and strategies to articulate their grievances and frustrations with the state of their economies. Young people in such decaying economies live under precarious and uncertain existential conditions. Drawing on the #ThisFlag movement in Zimbabwe, this article sheds light on the complex temporalities of non-violent resistance in post-colonial Africa and the place of social media in creating new and alternative forms of protest. The article examines the ways in which young people mobilising under the #ThisFlag movement deployed cyberspaces to launch concerted non-violent resistance against the Mugabe and Mnangagwa regimes. It also discusses various non-violent tactics the #ThisFlag movement deployed to tactically navigate the precarious terrain of political activism. I argue that young people instrumentalised their techno-savviness to mass-mobilise and enact novel and defiant forms of non-violent political action which posed a serious threat to ZANU-PF’s durable political hegemony. I also argue that #ThisFlag’s use of non-violent resistance should be understood as an exercise of agency and social navigation in a context of protracted violence against government critics and opposition political activists.
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No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Notes
1 Hove, ‘Nonviolent Campaigns in Zimbabwe, 1999 to 2013’. Musarurwa, ‘The Rise of Youth Activism and Non-violent Action’; Hove, Why Nonviolent Movements Failed in Zimbabwe; Hove and Chenzi, ‘A Drive to Regime Change Through Nonviolent Economic Warfare’.
2 Zunes, ‘The Role of Non-Violent Action in the Downfall of Apartheid’.
3 Chenoweth and Cunningham, ‘Understanding Nonviolent Resistance’.
4 Chenoweth and Stephan, ‘Why Civil Resistance Works’.
5 Sharp, The Politics of Nonviolent Action.
6 Zunes, ‘The Role of Non-Violent Action in the Downfall of Apartheid’.
7 Sharp, The Politics of Nonviolent Action.
8 Hove, ‘Nonviolent Campaigns in Zimbabwe, 1999 to 2013: 61’.
9 Chenoweth and Cunningham, ‘Understanding Nonviolent Resistance’.
10 Gukurume, ‘#ThisFlag and #ThisGown Cyber Protests in Zimbabwe’.
11 Karekwaivanane and Msonza, Zimbabwe Digital Rights Landscape.
12 Dendere, ‘Why are So Many African Leaders Shutting Off their Internet in 2019’.
13 Ranger, ‘African Politics in Twentieth-Century Southern Rhodesia’.
14 see Kaunda, On Violence; Sutherland and Meyer, Guns and Gandhi in Africa.
15 Hove, Nonviolent Campaigns in Zimbabwe, 1999 to 2013; Musarurwa, ‘The Rise of Youth Activism’; Gukurume, ‘#ThisFlag and #ThisGown Cyber Protests in Zimbabwe’; Hove and Chenzi, ‘A Drive to Regime Change Through Nonviolent Economic Warfare’.
16 United States Institute of Peace.
17 Hove, Nonviolent Campaigns in Zimbabwe, 1999 to 2013; Hove and Chenzi, ‘A Drive to Regime Change Through Nonviolent Economic Warfare’.
18 Hove, Nonviolent Campaigns in Zimbabwe, 1999 to 2013.
19 Hove and Chanzi, ‘A Drive to Regime Change Through Nonviolent Economic Warfare’.
20 Ibid.
21 Musarurwa, ‘The Rise of Youth Activism and Non-Violent Action’.
22 Gukurume, ‘#ThisFlag and #ThisGown cyber protests in Zimbabwe.
23 Ibid.; Mawere, ‘The Politics and Symbolism of the# ThisFlag in Zimbabwe’.
24 See Szablewicz, ‘The “Losers” of China’s Internet’.
25 Hansen, ‘Getting Stuck in the Compound’.
26 Singerman, ‘Young, Gender and Dignity in the Egyptian Uprising’; Honwana, ‘Waithood’.
27 Ibid.; Oosterom, ‘Are Rural Young People Stuck?’
29 Chidza, ‘Flag Protest’ Pastor Receives Death Threats. https://www.newsday.co.zw/2016/05/flag-protest-pastor-receives-death-threats/
31 Gukurume, ‘#ThisFlag and #ThisGown Cyber Protests in Zimbabwe’.
32 Harrington, ‘The Spirituality of Non-Violence’.
33 Alexander and McGregor, ‘War Stories’; Alexnder and Chitofiri, ‘The Consequences of Violent Politics in Norton’.
34 Hove, Nonviolent Campaigns in Zimbabwe, 1999 to 2013.
35 Kriger, Zimbabwe’s Guerrilla Veterans; Alexander and McGregor, ‘War Stories’; Chung, Re-Living the Second Chimurenga; Sadomba, War Veterans in Zimbabwe’s Revolution.
36 Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace and Legal Resources Foundation (CCJP), Breaking the Silence; Maedza, ‘Gukurajundi-a Moment of Madness’.
37 Chitukutuku, Rebuilding the Liberation War Base; Maringira, Political Violence within Army Barracks; Chitando and Togarasei, ‘June 2008, Verse 27’; Alexander and Chitofiri, The Consequences of Violent Politics in Norton.
38 See, Gukurume, ‘#ThisFlag and #ThisGown Cyberprotests in Zimbabwe’; Oberdorf, Inspiring the Citizen to be Bold; Nenjerama and Mpofu, ‘Populism from Below and Social Movements’; Mawere, The Politics and Symbolism of the #ThisFlag in Zimbabwe.
39 Gukurume, ‘#ThisFlag and #ThisGown Cyber Protests in Zimbabwe’.
40 Oberdorf, Inspiring the Citizen to be Bold.
41 Ibid.
42 Se also Netizens, ‘Counter-Memories, and Internet Literature into the New Millennium’.
43 Raftopolous Citation2003, Citation2009.
44 See Kozinets, Netnography.
45 Gukurume, ‘#ThisFlag and #ThisGown Cyberprotests in Zimbabwe’.
46 Ranger, ‘Nationalist Historiography, Patriotic History and the History of the Nation: The Struggle over the Past in Zimbabwe’.
47 Mawere, ‘The Politics and Symbolism of the #ThisFlagin Zimbabwe’.
48 The Guardian, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jul/06/zimbabwe-shuts-down-peaceful-protest-against-corruption-thisflag-harare
49 The Guardian, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jul/04/zimbabwe-police-battle-rioters-protesting-against-harassment
50 Interview with Ephraim.
51 Oberdorf, Inspiring the Citizen to be Bold.
52 Ibid.
53 Gukurume, ‘Surveillance, Spying and Disciplining the University’.
54 Kagoro, ‘The Prusoners of Hope: Civil Society and the Opposition in Zimbabwe’.
55 Grant, ‘Quiet Insecurity and Quiet Agency in Post Genocide Rwanda’.
56 Ibid., 16.
57 Ibid.
58 Gukurume, ‘Surveillance, Spying and Disciplining the University’.
59 Kataneksza, ‘Zimbabwe Activists Test, Track and Learn to Organise a New Movement’.
60 Ibid.
61 Jenkins, Participatory Politics.
62 Ibid.
63 Gukurume, ‘New Pentecostal Churches, Politics and the Everyday Life of University Students at the University of Zimbabwe’.
64 Gukurume and Taru, ‘We are Soldiers in God’s Army’.
65 Gukurume, ‘Investing in the Future Generation: New Pentecostal Charismatic Churches in Harare’.
66 Interview with Tapiwa, a member of #ThisFlag movement.
67 Interview with Judith, a member of #ThisFlag movement.
68 Comaroff, Body of Power, Spirit of Resistance.
69 Interview with Pamela, a member of #ThisFlag movement.
70 Interview with Eric, a member of #ThisFlag movement.
71 Participant Observation, 2016.
72 Gateway News, https://gatewaynews.co.za/zimbabwean-christians-lead-historic-day-of-prayer-protest-as-pastor-freed/
73 https://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/5846/zimbabwean-pastor-released-after-prayer-vigil-outside-court
74 Cornwell, ‘Zimbabwean Pastor Released after Prayer Vigil Outside Court’.
75 Interview with Amos, a member of #ThisFlag movement.
76 Ahmed, The Cultural Politics of Emotion.
77 Ibid.
78 Nehanda Radio, https://nehandaradio.com/2016/07/13/100-lawyers-stand-thisflag-evan-mawarire/; Metro, https://metro.co.uk/2016/07/13/over-100-lawyers-turned-out-to-help-this-guy-for-free-6004404/
82 The Guardian, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/oct/09/zimbabwe
83 Africanews, https://www.africanews.com/2016/11/28/zimbabwe-outdoors-bond-notes-equal-to-us-dollar-to-cure-cash-crunch/; BBC, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-36210680
85 Eye Witness News, https://ewn.co.za/2016/10/07/Zimbabwes-This-Flag-movement-releases-its-own-new-bond-notes
86 Interview/conversation with Ephraim, a member of #ThisFlag movement.
87 Gukurume, ‘Livelihood Resilience in a Hyperinflationary Environment’.
88 Kataneksza, ‘Zimbabwe Activists Test, Track and Learn to Organise a New Movement’.
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Simbarashe Gukurume
Simbarashe Gukurume is a Social Scientist working at the intersections of Sociology and Social Anthropology and is a senior lecturer at Sol Plaatje University in the Department of Social Sciences (Sociology). Simbarashe is also a Research Associate at the University of Johannesburg, Department of Anthropology and Development Studies. Simbarashe holds a PhD from the University of Cape Town (UCT), South Africa and an MSc in Sociology and Social Anthropology as well as a BSc in Sociology from the University of Zimbabwe. Simbarashe is interested in questions around youth, informality, livelihoods, displacement, money, religiosity, social and political movements and other forms of youth everyday lives. Simbarashe has been a recipient of the Matasa Network Fellowship award, IDS (University of Sussex), the Harry Frank Guggenheim Young African Scholars award, the SSRC Research award, the African Peace Building Network (APN) individual grant, and the Academy for African Urban Diversity (AAUD) award among other awards.