The Radical Mantate

I was in form two when I first joined the chess club. I knew nothing really. I remember my coach taking me through the names of each of the pieces on the board and the whole concept of checkmating. Back then, I was merely intrigued, but looking at it now, I realize that beyond the fascinating board game lies a reflective political model that defines Zimbabwe today. Can women be likened to pawns on a chessboard? My childhood view of politics received validation when I learnt that the pivotal objective of the game of chess is solely to protect one’s King and checkmate that of your opponent. It did not matter how many pawns, knights, bishops and even a queen was sacrificed in achieving this primary mandate because they merely served that purpose. A lot of young women in Zimbabwe feel as powerless to act outside the mindset they have been socialized to exist in, as I assume every inferior piece on the chessboard would feel, had it any emotion. I intentionally single out the you

M antate Q. Mlotshwa is the girl of the moment. She is a Senior Program Associate at the International Republican Institute (IRI), Zimbabwe and previously worked as a Programs Associate at Women’s Institute for Leadership Development (WILD). Mantate is also a Psychology student at the University of Zimbabwe.  She has on multiple occasions  spoken on radio, TV and gatherings on issues relating to the women and youth leadership. Mantate is a lover of Afrocentric  fashion. Afrocentric Vibez caught up with her and asked about her life and the many roles she plays in Zimbawe. The Radical Mantate A.V: Tell us about yourself. M.M: My name is Mantate Queeneth Mlotshwa and ngingumtakagogo (I am my grandmother’s child). I was raised by her in  Nkulumane, Bulawayo where I also did my Primary school.  Above and beyond my name and where I come from, I believe Mantate is a voice of the voiceless. I’m very passionate about issues that affect women, girls and youth. So, in w

It was about fifteen minutes to midnight, and I was still stuck in that tiny closet. I’d been there for at least three hours twenty minutes. My heart was pounding and I swear I was sweating profusely, forget that it was stone cold in that room- well a lot of things about that house were cold. I was such a fool. Allowed myself to get entangled with a potbellied man whose sack of a stomach could barely stay put in the realms of his expensive crocodile skin belt. The way it looked ugly, I had to know he is moneyed to believe that it wasn’t just one of those fake belts from the streets.  My parents would never have been proud of me. It was disgusting enough that I was dating men who could easily call my father son, but being beaten up by a mad woman just because she caught me sleeping with her frog of a husband would definitely have my mother burying her head in the sand. Poor woman, thinking her only daughter a saint! I mean, I go to church every Sunday, even sing in the choir and t

We have often heard people joke that “being Zimbabwean is an extreme sport” and that gives us chills- because it is absolutely true. You unfortunately do not get to decide if you are up for this high risk lifestyle. It comes packaged within your nationality. Growing up in a country where education has always been a point of pride, the notion that ‘education is the key to success’ was like oxygen to any student. Our conviction was that with just enough patience, commitment and hard work, a degree or diploma would land us a decent livelihood. It made sense, but only until we started struggling to make sense of the unemployment rate; the thousands of graduates that have had to find alternative sources of income because the economy does not seem to have plans for them. It does not seem so simple anymore, the notion on the streets is disputing the capacity of education to ensure decent livelihoods for our young people. And if young people themselves are questioning education, it scare

New media continues to stretch connections and expand conversations between individuals and institutions pushing similar, sometimes divergent interests. These interlocking conversations are inevitably revealing links between traditionally divorced issues and Twitter has not failed to headline this process by providing a platform of convergence on political, social, economic, entertainment and sporting news that impact on the lived realities of Zimbabweans, among other global consumers of online content. This brief article was conceived from a Twitter conversation started by @MantateQueeneth and picked up by @chenesaimangoma. We felt we owed it to the Zimbabwean Netball Team, now fondly referred to as the zimGEMS, to elaborate on the impact that we feel they have made on the nation. They have reinstated our hope in a Zimbabwe that can compete alongside other nations and we hope by archiving these thoughts many more will learn from our zimGEMs. @MantateQueeneth :I do not kn

Be brave enough-have courage to seize this moment NOW and make a difference. Have courage to stop yourself from thinking that a better place, space and time than this will ever come. Have the courage to say “no” and stand up to what is not right no matter what the stacks against you are. Have the courage to say “yes” to and stand up for what is right even at the face of death. Have the courage to say, “I don’t know.” Have the courage to admit that you are afraid. Have the courage to accept defeat and embrace your opponent. Have the courage to love your tormentor. Have the courage to accept yourself just as you are. Have the courage to say, “I am sorry.” Have the courage to say, “I can be, do and have better than this”, and to go ahead and change yourself for better. Have the courage to let go, no matter how attached you had/have become. Have the courage to forget/lose yourself for the sake of others. Have the courage to say, “It’s my time or it’s my turn now.