Creative Resistance Against Fossil Colonialism
By Trust Chikodzo
HARARE, ZIMBABWE – On 20 August, at Moto Republik, one of Zimbabwe’s leading safe spaces for youth creativity, 28 young people, including artists, students, and activists, gathered for the Kick Polluters Out Campaign: Total Smackdown Teach-In.
A teach-in is an innovative form of protest and political education that combines learning, creativity, and collective action. Unlike a lecture, it is interactive and rooted in grassroots organising, which helps participants understand the challenges and be involved in the problem-solving process as well as map a way forward.
This action was part of the Africa Week of Action to Kick Total Out of Africa (18–24 August 2025), a continent-wide mobilisation against TotalEnergies’ fossil fuelled neo-colonialism and greenwashing, including its controversial sponsorship of AFCON 2025.
Trust Chikodzo, Kick Polliters Out Coordinator for Magamba Network, set the tone in his opening remarks:
“This is not only an opportunity to learn but also artivise and show solidarity, to unmask TotalEnergies for what it truly is, a profiteer of Africa’s destruction. We must call for their expulsion and expropriation from our beloved continent, and shift towards socially ownedrenewable energy.”
The teach-in, meticulously organised to follow a public narrative approach, began with a screening of the “100 Years of Pollution” video , which sparked reflections on how TotalEnergies’ century-long existence has meant devastation rather than development. One participant, a former City of Harare Junior Councillor, expressed shock, stating, “I didn’t even know what Total was doing until today. This is eye-opening.
Spoken word artist Star then performed her piece, Total Enemies, moving the room with a call to resistance. Bhanshee returned later with a second performance, chanting:
“We must heal theworld to make it the best place for you, for me, for us.”
A key moment of the day came during a fireside chat which was centered around the question on whether Africa should use its own natural gas. Chikodzo responded:
“Gas is found in fragile ecosystems like the Northern Mozambique Channel, one of the richest biodiversity hotspots in the world. Extracting it risks stranded assets, worsens cyclones that even hit Zimbabwe, and deepens cycles of debt. Fossil fuels don’t offer us ownership; they siphon resources away and sell them back to us at a cost we cannot afford.”
One motivating and inspiring development was the recent ruling against Total’s interest in exploring in Cape Alguhus, which was ruled against after Natural Justice and Green Connection had taken them to court. The discussion was deepened by a screening of the Video on LNG (Liquified Natural Gas) Video, which exposes how African leaders are often misled by fossil fuel companies. As one young woman noted, “We need to make sure our leaders are truly capacitated. Right now, they are victims of a much bigger system.”
Campaign Strategist Chloe McGrath gave a practical guide on creative non-violent action, reminding participants:
“Artistic activism is peaceful and persuasive. Creative actions can be accessible and provide multiple avenues for engagement and fun”
The group turned theory into action in a Do-It-Yourself session, co-creating a chalkboard mural, painting thrifted t-shirts art spelling out “Kick Total Out Africa,” and protest placards with bold messages. The day closed with collective energy, affirming that a new chapter of creative resistance has been launched, pledging to carry the momentum into the next continental front: the Kick Total Out of AFCON campaign, aimed at toxifying Total’s sponsorship of Africa’s most beloved tournament.
