Accountability Lab Zimbabwe recently welcomed incoming participants to its civic leadership and engagement programs in an inception meeting and workshop. This event marks the commencement of a year-long journey for the 2024 cohorts of the Accountability Incubator, Film Fellowship, and Voice2Rep programs in Zimbabwe. This immersive experience equips civic innovators, filmmakers and musicians with the skills and mentorship needed to significantly impact the country’s accountability ecosystem.

The class participated in the Civic Leadership, Engagement, and Accountability Re-Learning (CLEAR) workshop, equipping them the with the fundamentals of adaptive leadership, accountability practices, and creative civic engagement. The Inception meeting and CLEAR workshop aimed to establish a foundation of shared knowledge and uniform training elements across the Film Fellowship, Arts4Change, and Accountability Incubator programs. This approach fosters opportunities to inculcate shared understanding, creating synergies among the different cohorts. This rich environment nurtures cooperation and collaboration among participants, who will learn and innovate together throughout the year.

Author, lawyer and motivational speaker Arthur Marara discussed the fundamentals of leadership, emphasizing,
“Our assignment as leaders is to be responsible and not to give in to the temptation of power. Leadership is a function of character. People gain confidence from the integrity of their leaders, and you have to start working on your integrity now. Power and money won’t change who you are. Those things amplify what was already there.”

Participants received a signed copy of Marara’s book, No One is Coming: Time to Take Charge of Your Life.

A panel discussion featuring six alumni from the Film Fellowship, Voice2Rep, and Accountability Incubator programs highlighted the perspectives of program alumni.

The discussion was moderated by 2021 Incubator alumnus, founder of the Community Podium and ALZ Board Member, Nkosikhona Dibiti, and Arts4Change program lead, Nalenhle Moyo. Panelists included spoken word artist Banshee (Voice2Rep 2023), 2024 NAMA Award winner Jabulani Mudzova (Film Fellowship 2023), award-winning civic tech entrepreneur Courtney Mukoyi (Incubator 2021), Food Justice Network coordinator Roselily Ushewokunze (Incubator 2022), multi-award-winning creative entrepreneur Ska Sebata (Film Fellowship 2021), and journalist and filmmaker Princess Thandeka (Film Fellowship 2022). Sharing their experiences, panelists discussed the challenges they faced and why they applied to the Lab’s programs, ultimately highlighting how the training and support they received elevated their creative practices and civic work.

Civil society and development expert, Joy Mabenge facilitated a session on civic engagement, beginning by asking participants “who is responsible for your future?”. This session explored participants’ concerns and how these concerns related to the interrelationships between the state, the market, and society. Mabenge discussed tools for increasing civic participation and engagement, to help communities advocate for their issues and shape their lives.

Jean Scrimgeour and McDonald Lewanika led a masterclass on governance and accountability. Scrimgeour began by exploring Accountability Lab’s translocal network – a network of local organizations around the world working towards a common vision, mission and goal, and how the Lab leverages its network to build a global accountability ecosystem for change. Among the principles Scrimgeour shared were leveraging capacities and learning across the network  to strengthen the movement.

Lewanika discussed examples of accountability helping participants to understand how this is connected to responsibility and answerability and the enforcement of consequences. Lewanika talked about the different types of accountability, including personal, social and public accountability drawing connections between the fundamentals to the different practices of the three cohorts. He illustrated the power and use of voice in discussing accountability challenges with the song Tongogara by hip hop artist Junior Brown, the CivAct’s EP Block 10 and Ska Sebata’s Her – A Disintergrated Notion, and Princess Tshuma’s Three Days in Plumtree.

Mantate Mlotshwa, formerly the Arts4Change Lead, discusses how activists expressed and advocated for accountability issues in media and art. Mlotshwa presented compelling case studies that presented governance and accountability challenges in new ways, enabling audiences to engage, participate and express their voice. Among these were  #ThisFlag, a social movement that coalesced around grievance and the meanings of national symbols and icons, as well as Marvellous Tshuma and Albinism Konnect who’s music is themed on inclusion, and who advocates for people living with albinism on her platforms.

A total of 25 young people were enrolled this year. Ten participants each were selected for the Accountability Incubator and Voice2Rep programs, while the Film Fellowship welcomed five. The Accountability Lab partnered with the Magamba Network to provide capacity building, mentorship, and support.

Throughout the year, these young individuals will receive comprehensive training and guidance to develop their skills in filmmaking, music production, and civic innovation. They will implement projects focused on digital governance, inclusion, climate justice, and civic agency aiming to address accountability challenges faced b their communities.