Magamba means ‘Heroes’ or ‘Freedom Fighters’. It all started when two young Zimbabweans, Comrade Fatso & Outspoken, met at a poetry slam and battled each other – with words. They battled other poets until it was the final round and they were pitted against each other. After some fierce throwing down of poems they tied and had to share the prize which was a quarter chicken and chips and a poetry book. Comrade Fatso was hungry so he ate the chicken. Outspoken was hunrgy for knowledge so he took the book. They realised then that they could work together and shared a vision of how creative activism could inspire young people to be part of changing our country. And so Magamba was born.
Starting off as a part-time thing that Comrade Fatso & Outspoken ran from the sitting room of their flat in the Avenues – close to the Harare city centre – Magamba Network has grown into Zimbabwe’s leading creative organisation and one of the country’s trailblazers in digital media and youth engagement.
Magamba was born at a time of hyperinflation, disillusionment and political oppression. The network emerged in 2007 and was all about inspiring young people to be part of the change our country desperately needs. And Magambda decided to do that using fun, creative tools that speak to young people in a language they understand: from hip hop to satire, from social media to innovation.
Their belief is in a Zimbabwe with participatory democracy, strong alternative media, a sustainable environment and a thriving creative economy. They believe in being the change we want to create so we’re about being horizontal and participatory. They’re about social justice. And they’re about having fun while they do it!
Today Magamba Network is Zimbabwe’s leading creative organization and they work on the cutting edge of arts, digital media, activism and innovation. Magamba’s award-winning initiatives include Shoko Festival, Zimbabwe’s longest-running festival of urban culture; Moto Republik, Zimbabwe’s first creative hub; the internationally acclaimed Zambezi News satire show, the weekly political news show The Week and the pioneering digital media projects Open Parly and The FeedZW
Magamba has been a pioneer in Zimbabwean youth culture. The network launched the first-ever satire show in the country, Zambezi News, which has gone on to inspire a whole new generation of young satirists and online content creators who use humour to deal with Zimbabwe’s complex political situation. The network has opened up space for free expression online through supporting and incubating a myriad of young bloggers and new media startups that speak truth to power. Magamba has also been a pioneer in the hip hop, spoken word and comedy movements in Zimbabwe, building platforms for rebel expression and creating international tours for hot new acts with a message. Through launching Moto Republik, Zimbabwe’s first creative hub, Magamba has created a powerful space of collaboration for young creatives that is leading to groundbreaking new projects and inspiring other hubs in the Southern African region.
Magamba is also spreading on the continent with the launch of Open Parly initiatives in Somalia and Zambia, satire co-productions in Kenya and the Creative South network in Southern Africa to inspire new creative hubs. Their projects have reached millions of young Zimbabweans while also receiving massive international recognition. Magamba’s projects have featured on Amanpour (CNN), BBC, The Guardian and Channel 4 (UK) while at the same time being nominated for multiple international awards.
They believe that over the years most importantly they have inspired a new generation of young Zimbabweans to stand up and be heard. To be part of a positive movement to change Zimbabwe for the better. And they’re only just getting started. Join them on the journey!
