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Lifestyle
Gibson Ncube, Lecturer, Stellenbosch University

Zimbabwe's rulers won't tolerate opposing voices – but its writers refuse to be silenced

NoViolet Bulawayo, Zimbabwean author of the politically charged novels We Need New Names and Glory. David Levenson/Getty Images

The ruling elite in Zimbabwe has always tried to silence opposing political voices and erase histories it does not wish to have aired. Although “democratic” elections have been held since 1980, the country has become what the scholar Eldred Masunungure calls a state of “militarised, electoral authoritarianism”.

As Zimbabwe heads to the polls again in 2023, it’s worth considering the role that writers have played in engendering political resistance. Their voices have been important in challenging oppression, exposing social injustices and advocating for political change.

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