From Accra’s 2025 Africa Social Movements Baraza came a surge of hope and strategy: activists from all 54 African nations rallied under “The Power of Movements,” sharpening tactics to confront Big Oil and the climate emergency. Highlights included the Kick Total Out of Africa campaign’s creative resistance, a call for deep, constituency-based organising, and a renewed feminist lens that put frontline women at the centre of climate justice. The gathering proved that solidarity is a force—movements rooted in culture and community can shift power and build a greener, socially owned energy future
We do not have the luxury to lose hope
When the year opened with leaders chanting “Drill, Baby, Drill,” it felt like a gut-punch to every African fighting for a just, renewable future. Carrying that heaviness, I travelled to Accra, Ghana, for the Africa Social Movements (ASM) Baraza held 14-16 April under the banner “The Power of Movements.” What awaited was more than a conference; it was a collective reset that reignited hope and sharpened our sense of shared purpose.
More than 300 organisers from all 54 African countries filled the space with stories of resistance and resilience. In three intense days we moved from analysing despair to co-creating strategy, from individual frustration to continental solidarity.
Day 1 – Reclaiming Hope & Resources
The opening sessions reminded us bluntly that hope is a political act. In the face of economic injustice and a worsening climate crisis, we cannot outsource the fight for our natural resources; taking control of what is ours is liberation in practice, not rhetoric.
Day 2 – From Moments to Movements
Workshops zeroed in on constituency-based organising: building long-term power through relationships, local context and relentless political education. Victory, we agreed, is earned in steady organising, not in one-off media moments.
Day 3 – Solidarity in Action: Kicking Big Oil Out of Africa
Our breakout on the Kick Total Out of Africa campaign crystalised the day. Armed with creative resistance tactics and grassroots organising tools, we planned how to confront Big Oil from the EACOP corridor to Botswana’s Okavango Basin and Congo’s fragile Virunga.
During the Ignite session, Samm Farai Monro (Comrade Fatso) broke down how hip-hop and satire drove the viral #KickTotalOutOfAFCON intervention that forced TotalEnergies and CAF to react—proof that art, youth culture and digital organising can puncture fossil-fuel propaganda.
A Feminist Lens on Climate Justice
Nineteen new comrades joined the campaign—13 of them women—underscoring that those bearing the brunt of extraction must lead the fight for justice. Building a feminist, Pan-African climate front is no longer optional; it is strategic necessity.
Carrying the Flame Forward
I left Accra with renewed possibility. The Baraza proved that solidarity is a force, not a feeling. Movements grounded in hope, culture and community can shift power, even against corporate giants.
In that spirit we say Harambee—let’s pull together. Whether you’re in St Louis fishing communities battling offshore gas, Tanzanian villages facing EACOP, or Harare crafting satirical rhymes, our struggles are intertwined. Join us, organise where it hurts, and keep building the Pan-African movement we all deserve.
Ready to act?
- Follow @KickPolluters for campaign updates.
- Explore ways your collective can target fossil-fuel interests in your region.
- Share this article and keep the conversation alive—because we truly do not have the luxury to lose hope.
