What began as a personal Cape-to-Cairo adventure has evolved into a coordinated regional movement, bringing together walkers from Zimbabwe, South Africa and the United States around shared social concerns.
As American endurance walker Eddie Bond passed through Bulawayo on Thursday en route to Victoria Falls, his journey became a meeting point for artists, activists and long-distance walkers who believe movement can speak where words sometimes fail.
The initiative gained further momentum with the participation of South African long-distance walker James Setshogelo, Bulawayo-based environmentalist Nqobile Mkwananzi and artist and endurance walker Prince Ncube, popularly known as Dr Gasolo. Together, they reinforced walking as both an artistic practice and a platform for dialogue on the region’s social and economic challenges.
For Ncube, the experience was deeply personal. Having never imagined himself walking across countries — let alone continents — he said the short distance they covered together opened his eyes to the beauty beyond familiar borders and sparked a desire to explore Zimbabwe and the wider region on foot.
“I am very impressed and inspired. From here, I will also make it on my side. From the little distance I have walked with him — as someone who had never considered walking across the world, except for a bit in South Africa — I realised I do not even know the whole of Zimbabwe. From my engagement with him, I have learned that the world is beautiful and from here, I am going to explore it,” Ncube said.
He said the encounter had motivated him to set a personal challenge for the year — walking to kwaMaphumulo, KwaZulu-Natal, in South Africa, to pay his respects to his favourite musician, the late Bhekumuzi Luthuli.
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“His walking a longer distance than mine also greatly inspires me. From now on, as a big fan of the late Bhekumuzi Luthuli, my aim for this year is to reach his grave in kwaMaphumulo, KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. That will be my next challenge; this year, I will walk to kwaMaphumulo to visit his grave,” he said.
Setshogelo said his long-distance walks were driven by a desire to highlight social issues affecting men.
“I am a long-distance walker from South Africa and I have a walk coming up — from the Union Buildings to Parliament — challenging the government on an important issue. Many people do not believe that men can be victims of gender-based violence, but this is a very real and controversial topic,” he said.
“I want to walk again, conducting research to submit to the President, highlighting that men also need care and to be heard.”
He added that many men face abuse, unemployment and substance abuse, pressures that could lead to criminal behaviour.
“At home, frustrated men are sometimes seen as ‘lions’ because of these pressures. I am honoured to share this welcome with people back home,” Setshogelo said.
Bond said he was excited about visiting Victoria Falls for the first time and immersing himself in African culture.
“There’s no specific cause for this walk except the walk itself. Adventure is the purpose. I don’t know what I’m going to see or learn, but I know I’m going to grow and change a lot along the way. I’m excited to meet people, experience cultures, eat the food, hear the music of Africa and see the animals,” Bond said.
“I’ve just seen it on TV. This will be my first time there. I’ve been dreaming about this for almost 20 years — ever since I heard about Victoria Falls, I thought, ‘I have to go see it.’”
He explained that walking was his preferred way to experience the journey.
“I thought walking was the coolest way to do it. It connects humanity. Our ancestors came from Africa and travelled all across the world on foot. You can cycle or drive — those are great journeys too — but to walk across it is a privilege and an honour. It’s a difficult challenge, but it will come with equal rewards,” he said.
Dr Gasolo’s events coordinator, Desmond Ntini, said the walk also served as a platform to raise Zimbabwe’s flag and spotlight regional challenges.
“Since we’ve always been organising walkathons under the Dr Gasolo banner in Zimbabwe — from Gwanda to Bulawayo — we also saw this as an opportunity to raise the country’s flag,” Ntini said.