Zimbabwe: The Invisible Trauma of Women in Zimbabwe's Liberation Struggle

The narrative of Zimbabwe's liberation struggle focuses on the heroism and exploits of men, largely ignoring the experiences of many young women in liberation camps and the discrimination and abuse they suffered at the hands of male soldiers, says Mako Muzenda

When Flame premiered in 1996, the Zimbabwean government and the Veterans Association of Zimbabwe were less than pleased. The film, a fictional account of two female freedom fighters during the liberation war, was accused of promoting pornography, sending subversive messages and presenting a false narrative of women's experiences in ZANU and ZAPU camps. Even today, 23 years after the film's release and 39 years after independence, the story of Zimbabwe's liberation is still dominated by men and their exploits.

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