marble nkomo
Mbulelo Mpofu and Mthabisi Tshuma
UNDER the wide, sun washed African sky, where the land stretches endlessly and the road invites both reflection and resolve, American walker Eddie Bond arrived in Bulawayo on Thursday, his boots carrying the weight — and wonder — of nearly 3 000 kilometres already travelled.
The moment felt significant not simply because it marked another stop on his audacious walk from Cape Town to Cairo, but because it closed a deeply symbolic chapter: a 100-kilometre stretch from Plumtree walked in rare companionship.
Along that ribbon of road, Bond found himself flanked by Zimbabwe’s Dr Gasolo and South African James Shuping Setshogelo, their shared footsteps transforming a solitary expedition into a quiet celebration of connection, purpose and humanity.
Bond is no conventional traveller, and at 43, the Honolulu born adventurer brings a mosaic of unusual experiences to every mile he covers.
“I grew up in Hawaii which has a very athletic and sports culture. I became a circus performer and travelled to many countries performing skills and stunts, including acrobatics, gymnastics, pole dancing, fire juggling, escapes, and whip cracking,” he reflected, tracing the roots of his physical endurance. His life soon veered far from the ordinary.
It was a life lived at full tilt, later softened by a turn towards service.
“I started a non-profit library to give free books to students, but during Covid we went bankrupt and so I gave all the books away and left everything behind.” Even then, the call of movement never faded. “I’ve walked across America and Spain, and I’ve cycled across Australia,” he said, each journey leaving its own imprint on his spirit.
Five years ago, that restless energy settled into a single, luminous vision that would quietly reroute his life.
“About five years ago I had a vision of myself walking through Africa, and I thought, that is the best thing I could ever do. No other thing in the world could be better than getting to experience Africa and all her people and cultures,” Bond said.
It was a conviction born not of impulse but of reverence. From Cape Town, he followed that vision northwards, crossing South Africa and Botswana, reaching Zimbabwe just days ago after covering nearly 3 000 kilometres. Despite the distance already behind him, the magnitude of what lies ahead still astonishes him. “I’ve another 7 000km left to go!”
Navigating the practical complexities of crossing continent after continent might daunt many, but Bond approaches the challenge with an almost meditative calm.
“Yes it is a challenge, but I only worry about one day at a time so I’m not overwhelmed. Trying to plan a trip like this is a nightmare, but just doing it is liberating,” he said, summing up a philosophy forged one stride at a time.
Unlike others who attempt such feats in the name of awareness campaigns or organised causes, Bond’s walk is deliberately stripped of slogans and agendas.
“I do not have a message or cause or agenda to push, that’s not my business. For me, to complete this challenge which is already hard enough, I have to stay focused and clear headed, while some walkers have a cause or charity, for me I am just fulfilling my vision.”
His route naturally invites comparisons to Cecil John Rhodes’ unfinished Cape to Cairo railway dream, a historical shadow that stretches across the continent. Bond is careful to separate history from intent.
“I have no connection to Cecil John Rhodes, except that he attempted to build a railway that runs cape to Cairo, and that route has been a bit of a guide. Anytime I see the railroad tracks I feel like I’m going the right direction, though I’m not bound to the rails, I can go to other towns that I want to see.”
His journey, he insists, bends toward curiosity rather than legacy.
“I will answer this with a map. The blue line on the right is the Cecil John Rhodes railway line, the blue line on the left is what Google or AI would choose, and the coloured lines are what I have actually walked.”
Zimbabwe, however, reshaped the narrative in ways Bond never anticipated. Shortly after crossing at Plumtree, solitude gave way to solidarity when Dr Gasolo — a poet, thinker and fellow walker —and South African long-distance trekker James Shuping Setshogelo joined him. On Tuesday, the trio set off together on the demanding 100-kilometre march towards Bulawayo, their shared rhythm turning the journey into something richer and more resonant than any solitary effort could be.
The experience left a deep impression on Bond.
“Unexpected? Well I didn’t expect anyone to join me on the walk, and at the moment I am joined by two men, Dr Gasolo and Mr James Setshogelo,” he said, deeply aware of the rarity of such moments.
Walking side by side altered the emotional landscape of the journey.
“It feels very humbling and also validating to be joined by others on the walk! It tells me I am not alone, it tells me to do something good, and it tells me that people are interested in what I am doing.”
In those kilometres, a broader truth revealed itself.
“This walk is bigger than me, it’s a story about humanity coming together and connecting despite borders, nationalities, or race.”
As images and updates travelled across social media, their steps echoed far beyond the road, quietly reminding others of what shared movement can mean.
After a deliberate detour through Figtree on Wednesday, carefully co-ordinated with the help of Dr Gasolo, Bond and Setshogelo walked into Bulawayo on Thursday, welcomed not as mere passers by but as symbols of perseverance and fellowship. The city marks a pause rather than a finish.
“I think I will be in Zimbabwe for about 3-4 weeks before I’ll be entering Zambia,” Bond said, eager to absorb the country rather than simply pass through it.
Uninterested in time limits or records, Bond resists the pressure to hurry.
“I have no expected completion time, nor do I want one, I’m not interested in breaking any records or speeding along because I don’t want to miss opportunities that may come available,” he said.
While others might complete the journey in a year or stretch it to two-and-a-half, he believes his will land “somewhere in between.” Yet the idea of reaching Cairo brings an unexpected tenderness.
“However, once I reach Cairo, I will be finished, the walk will be over, so I’m not actually looking forward to that day because it will be the end of a great adventure.”
In the end, Eddie Bond’s journey is less about mileage than meaning — a quiet affirmation of the power of holding a personal vision, the humility of moving step by step, and the profound connections that emerge when borders dissolve not only underfoot, but within the shared experience of being human.
Online Reporter