Indira Gandhi once said, “You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist.” Was she talking about Zanu PF?

AN OPEN LETTER FROM THE PEOPLE OF ZIMBABWE TO:

1. PRINCIPALS: Robert Mugabe/Arthur Mutambara/Morgan Tsvangirai
2. Mediation Team led by Thabo Mbeki
3. Southern African Development Community Chairman/President South Africa Kgalema Motlanthe
4. African Union Chairman/ Tanzania President Jakaya Kikwete

Dear Sirs,
WE DECLARE A NATIONAL DISASTER AND DEMAND FOOD FOR ALL ZIMBABWEANS

You all signed an agreement on 15 September 2008 with lots of taxpayer’s money being used to feed all the delegates. Now you are meeting again and spending lots of money feeding the same people all over again, they sleep with full stomachs while our children starve. You said this was an ‘African solution to African problems’ but Africans are dying slow and painful deaths through starvation. You wrote in your deal that you were gravely concerned but these were empty words. Today we have lost patience. We demand FOOD, SEED and FERTILISER; this is now a national disaster. Zimbabweans both in rural areas and in the city are starving, the rains are coming but we have nothing to plant.

In the agreement preamble it states that you are “CONCERNED about the well-being of our people”. THESE WORDS ARE EMPTY JUST LIKE OUR STOMACHS.

You said you “ACKNOWLEDGE the sacrifices made by thousands of Zimbabwe’s gallant sons and daughters in the fight against colonialism and racial discrimination and determined to accept, cherish and recognise the significance of the Liberation Struggle as the foundation of our sovereign independence, freedoms and human rights.”

IS STARVATION THE WAY YOU ACKNOWLEDGE OUR SACRIFICES? WHEN WILL YOU SACRIFICE POWER FOR THE LOVE OF THE SUFFERING PEOPLE OF ZIMBABWE?

You agreed “COMMITTING ourselves to putting our people and our country first by arresting the fall in living standards and reversing the decline of our economy.”

You have put yourselves first and us last! Inflation is in the billions, the economy has collapsed. We are being told to buy food in Rand currency and yet we live in Zimbabwe. Even if we have money in the bank, we cannot get cash and it is even more impossible for us to get foreign currency. What happened to your commitment? Did Police misunderstand the word ‘arrest’ and put ‘Living standards’ in jail thinking it is the name of an opposition activist?

You said “RESPECTING the rights of all Zimbabweans regardless of political affiliation to benefit from and participate in all national programmes and events freely without let or hindrance.”

We are therefore demanding a national food relief programme. How many more Zimbabweans must die before you act? We are human beings needing a balanced diet and cannot survive on green vegetables like animals. We have lost patience with your kind of ‘African solution’. THIS IS A NATIONAL DISASTER AND WE DEMAND FOOD FOR ALL ZIMBABWEANS NOW.

Woza Moya
Signed by WOZA members for the people of Zimbabwe

P.S. If Police officers arrest us or beat us as we make our demand, you must take it as another sign of your empty promises for a violence free Zimbabwe and an unfortunate African solution to silence and disrespect citizens.

Refugee Seven:

The Refugee Seven appeared on 6th January 2010. They were due to hear the magistrate’s ruling on whether they could be removed off remand whilst their case is being heard before the Supreme Court. The ruling was not ready however and so the group was further remanded to 12th January. On the 12th, the magistrate was not available and so the group was again further remanded to 25th January. On the 25th, the magistrate finally gave her ruling, denying the activists the right to be removed off remand. They were further remanded to 25th February 2010.

Williams and Mahlangu:

The duo had appeared in Bulawayo Magistrates Court on 18th December 2009 but Magistrate Msipa was not ready with her ruling on whether the pair could be removed off remand. They were further remanded to 21st December. On the 21st, she refused the request to remove the activists off remand saying that they had brought the delay upon themselves by taking a challenge to the Supreme Court. The pair was further remanded to 24th February 2010.

At the beginning of the year, defense lawyer, Kossam Ncube made an urgent application to the High Court for Magistrate Mspia to be reviewed, claiming that her ruling as being ‘anter-alia grossly unreasonable and irregular‘. A copy of this application can be found in the legal documents folder.

The 10-day waiting period elapsed without the state responding to the application. It was passed unopposed on 28th January 2010 and an order for the activists to be removed off remand was issued.

WOZA is delighted that Jenni Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu have finally been removed off remand in a case that has been ongoing since 16 October 2008 but are concerned that the ruling from the Supreme Court has still not been received.

STATEMENT 1

BULAWAYO CENTRAL C.R 1018/06/04
RIMAU KAMWAZA N.R 63-915017 T 63
AGE : 31YRS.

States:-
1. I reside at house number 1,6th Avenue Rose Camp and I am currently attached to Police
Reaction Group , which is based at Drill Hall , Bulawayo .I am stationed at Njube police station.
2. I know the accuseds persons , numbering eleven only in connection with this case.
3. On Saturday 19th June 2004 at around 1320 hours I was on patrol duty in uniform in town in the company of Sergeants Charinya and Ngandu . At that we came across a group of the accused persons toy-toying and singing at the corner of 8th Avenue and fife street .The accused were moving towards the northen direction and the group was so disorderly that some were on the pavement and others were on the road.
4. We saw that the actions of the accused persons was disturbing the smooth flow of both traffic and pedestrians and also causing much confusion to the general public. People were being disturbed of their normal activities as they gave way to the accused persons.
5. We stopped our vehicle and ordered the accused persons to stop and we then arrested them . I could not hear what the accuseds were saying in their singing since the vehicle was moving.
6. After having arrested the accuseds we took them to Donnington Police station .

Signed ….RIMAU KAMWAZA
Recorded on 21 / 06/04
TIME : 0930 Hrs
At :C.I.D LAW AND ORDER BYO
BY :D.A.INSP SAMAKANDE

STATEMENT 2

BULAWAYO CENTRAL C.R 1018 /06/04
CHARINYA CHARINYA N.R 12-047041 J 12
RES : No.2 Provost Building Rose Camp Byo
BUS :Z.R.P Hillside

1. I am a male aldult aged 32years residing at the mentioned address. I am employed by the Zimbabwe Republic Police and stationed at Hillside police station . Presently I am attached to Police Reaction Group based at Drill Hall.
2. I know the accused persons only in connection with this case.
3. On the 19th June 2004 I was on duty and in Uniform in the company of Sergeants Rimau And Ngandu. At around 1320 hours we saw the accused persons singing and toy-toying at the corner of 8th Avenue and Fife street . I did not get what they were singing .The group was so disorderly as some were blocking the pavement preventing other people from walking and others were on the side of the road disturbing the smooth movement of traffic .They were moving in the northen direction.
4. We saw that the actions of the accused persons was disturbing the smooth flow of both traffic and pedestrians and also causing confusion to the general public. People were being disturbed of their normal activities as they gave way to the accused persons.
5. We then stopped them and arrested them . I did not hear what they were saying in their singing .We then took them to Donnington Police Station.

Signed: CHARINYA .CHARINYA
Recorded on 21/06/04
Time 0956 Hours
At : C.I.D Law &Order Byo
By : D.A.Insp Samakande

CHARGES:

BULAWAYO CENTRAL 1018/06/04 4196-4206/04

BULAWAYO
TREDGOLD

SEE ATTACHED SCHEDULE

C/S 3(2)(g) of this misc : offence act chapt 09:15:
ENCUMBERS OR OBSTRUCTS THE FREE PASSAGE ALONG ANY STREET ,ROAD ,THOROUGHFARE ,SIDEWALK OR PAVEMENT.

In that on the 19th June 2004 and at the corner of Fife Street and 3th Avenue the accuseds as listed on the schedule to the charge sheet ,one or more of them unlawfully marched in the street , singing and running in a mob along the pavements thereby obstructing the free passage along any street , road ,sidewalks or pavements……

ALT: C/S 7(c) OF THE MISC OFFENCES ACT CHAPT 09:15:
EMPLOY ANY MEANS LIKELY MATERIALLY TO INTERFERE WITH THE ORDINARY COMFORT ,CONVINIENT ,PEACE OR QUIET OF THE PUBLIC:

In that on the 19th June 2004 and at the corner of Fife street and 8th avenue Bulawayo the accuseds as listed on the (charge sheet) schedule to the charge sheet ,one or more of them unlawfully marched in the streets, singing and running in a mob likely materially to interfere with the ordinary comfort ,convenient ,peace or quiet of the public or which are likely adversely to affect the safety of the public or is likely to lead to a breach of the peace or create a nuisance or obstruction…………………….

The two activists are still in custody at Sakubva Police Station and it looks possible that they will have to remain in custody over the weekend. Attempts to have them taken to court and released have been foiled by Prosecutor Mutyamaenza who demanded a bribe to release them.

The Officer-in-Charge of Sakubva Police Station has also denied the activists access to their lawyer and food for a second day.

Please call Prosecutor Mutyamaenza on +263 20 64611 to demand that he order the police to proceed by way of summons.

Please also call Sakubva Police Station on +263 20 64212, 64717 or 63145 or the officer-in-charge directly on +263 20 60902 to demand the release of the two women

AT noon today 700 members of Women and Men of Zimbabwe Arise marched through central Harare to the offices of the state-owned Herald newspaper, handing out Valentine cards, red roses and abbreviated copies of WOZA’s report on the state of democracy in Zimbabwe. No arrests have been reported at the time of this release.

In typical WOZA fashion, six protests started separately and converged on the offices of the Herald. The peaceful groups sang as they marched, handing out roses and Valentine cards to excited Saturday shoppers who rushed forward to accept the gifts. At the Herald offices, the peaceful protestors chanted slogans for a few minutes before leaving a copy of the report, a Valentine rose and a WOZA scarf at the door before dispersing without incident.

The report, entitled ‘Hearts starve as well as bodies – give us bread but give us roses too! Democratising Zimbabwe – an opportunity to shine!‘ is a snapshot of community activists’ views on the state of democracy in Zimbabwe one year after the formation of the Government of National Unity (GNU). It also urges Zimbabweans to participate in democratizing Zimbabwe.

The Valentine cards handed out by the marchers read: “It is not enough that bread has returned to our shelves. Our hearts are also starving for a people-driven constitution. We demand a living constitution that will give us bread and roses too! Just like the thorns on a rose, love comes with pain, we must be willing to fight through the pain to get our new constitution. Demand your Rose – stand up for love. Shine Zimbabwe Shine!”

Songs sung by the peaceful protestors included: “We want our constitution; we want our rose“, “love is needed in Zimbabwe urgently“, “it is difficult to live in a country where thorns are in our way, we need to kneel and pray” and “if your heart is troubled, trust in the Lord (John 14:1).”

The peaceful protest today was a test of civic and media freedoms under the GNU at a time when the Public Order and Security Act (POSA) is being publicly debated in Zimbabwe.

A full copy of the report can be found at the following link: Hearts starve as well as bodies: a WOZA perspective on the state of democracy in Zimbabwe

At noon today, approximately 1,000 members of WOZA and MOZA marched through central Bulawayo to mark the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence. The peaceful protest also commemorated the anniversary of the 29 November launch of the People’s Charter last year where hundreds of members were brutally assaulted by riot police at Mhlahlandlela. The late Maria Moyo, who was holding the banner that fateful day last November and who recently passed away after the trauma of being abducted by police, was also in the minds and hearts of members today.

The peaceful group processed for four blocks from the High Court to Mhlahlandlela Government Complex, singing and chanting slogans. Despite the serious occasion, there was almost a carnival atmosphere with exuberant dancing and enthusiastic handing out of flyers to passersby. At Mhlahlandlela, the singing group was approached by two police officers, including the Officer Commanding of Bulawayo Central Police Station, Sithole. He informed them that they were too early to mark the 16 Days as the official government launch is only taking place tomorrow, 28th November, and that they should come back then. He then instructed the group to disperse.

Happy to have received an invitation to return to the streets by a police officer, the group obliged. They were escorted by uniformed police officers to the closest taxi terminus to ensure that everyone left peacefully however. Riot police also attended the scene but there have been no reports of arrests to date.

WOZA is pleased that our brothers and sisters in the police chose to respect the rights of WOZA members to demonstrate peacefully today and hope that this behaviour will continue in the future. We remember however that they have not always been so understanding but know that they also want the social justice contained in the People’s Charter and so encourage them to continue to side with their fellow citizens.

MIRIRA MWANA WAKO

Zvesarudzo zvakauya zvikapera saka veWOZA varikuda kuongorora avo vemuno muZimbabwe nedzira yavakanovota nemoyo murefu kwavaka zvipamidza vakamirira vekuZEC kuthi vaite zvinuzvavo zvakanaka. Viki rapera kusisina zwakapuda musarudzo, vekuZEC varikuderera moyo yedu mirefu. Vamwe vedu takano vota tichiziva kuti zvichapuda musarudzo yedu zvichabiwa. Ma poritidzhieni varikungotukana Zimbabwe ichitsva. Kana uchiverenga izvi, funga mwana wako nezvawaimudira kuti aveneupenyu wakanaka. Funga kuti vana vako varikuyiteyi. Varikudzidza zvakanaka here kuchikoro kana varikurara ne maka yokuti hakuna vadzidzisi? Vaka rainira mvura kana varikutema huni? Kana varikure kunedzimwenyika? Ndiyo mangwana  wayinge uchivarotera here? Kana zvakabuda musarudzo zvakangobatirirwa, kuchagara kusina vatongi vatsva negutsaruzhinji ratinoda. Kuswikira rini takangomirira zvapuda musarudzo isu takotoona kwatakavhotera kuti takavhotera mutsauko. Viki rakapera, vanu vakanovota kuti vataure asi matauriro edu hasi kundzvika. Nasi izuva reku mira nerunyararo tichi cheukidza veku ZEC nemaporitizhieni kuti ISU, vavoti, ndisu varidzi vevhoti atimbo vumi kuti vangonyarara vasingatinzvi. Ngavanyare zvatakasarudza tichiyisa X.

Mwana asinga chemi anofira mumbereko.

MWANA WAKO AKATARISIRA IWEWE KUTI UMIRE NEKUNYARARA KUTI UDZIVIRIRE SARUDZO YAKO NEKU SUNUNGURA KUBUDA KWESARUDZO YAKO.

Nasi izuva rekuti tirambe takamira nekuda kutongwa kwevanhu kwakanaka.

Sarudzo yedu muviki rakapera yange irimwe ndzira yekuyeuchidza vatongi vedu kuti tirikuda gutsaruzhinji, inovumira kuti vanhu vose vawane ,mikana yakayenzana pakunzvanana kwevanhu, paupfumi wenyika, remekedzo rwedzimwe ndudzi, zvitendero, pasina basa kuti varungu, vatema, vanababa kana vanamai, vakapfuma, vasina, kana panezvose zvekubatirira vanhu.

Izvi ndizvo zvange tichifungidzira patakano sarudza vatongi vedu.  Tirikuda vatongi vacha kuridzira izvi:

·    Kugutsikana nemakodzero mutsika, nemagariro, zvematongerwo enyika, zvehupfumi
·    Mikana yakayenzana munzvimbo dzatinogara nemikana yakayenzana muvanhurume nevanhukadzi kuyenzana kwemarudzi akasiyana
·    Kuremekedza kodzero dzevanhu zvikuru kodzero dzevanhukadzi nevana
·    Rusununguko mukutaura zwaunoda, kusangana nekuwirirana newawunoda
·    Remekedzo rwedzimwe ndudzi nezvitendero zvevanhu
·    Kubuda pachena pane zvese zvavarikuita nekukwanisa kupindura mivunzo zvinogutsa.
·    Mikana yakayenzana munezvematongerwo enyika nezvehupfumi
·    Wese aparamhosva anofanirwa kutongwa pangasingatariswe kuti ndiani – uye mikana mukutongwa kunoenzana nekunzwisisa mutemo
·    Gachiriro yezviyitiko zvakayitika kare zvashunguradza vanhu zvakayita seGukurahundi neMurambatsvina
·    Gutsaruzhinji
·    Kuve nemukana wekuwana dzidzo
·    Kuve nemukana wekuwana kudya kwakakwana
·    Kuve nemukana wekuwana dzimba, magetsi, chimbudzi nemvura yakachena
·    Kunge tichirapwawo muzvipatara nemari dziripasi uyezve kuwana mishonga nemaARV’s
·    Mikana yakayenzana mukugoviwa kwevhu nezvokurimisa
·    Mikana yakayenzana munezvemabasa zvekuzvibatsira nehupfumi nekodzero yako yekunge uchiwana mari inokuraramisa
·    Kuva ne zvivakwa nezvifambiso zvisingadhure
·    Kushandiswa kwezviwanikwa zvedu ngakuite kuti zviwanikwa zvedu zvekurarama nekusingaperi

Sevana vemuZimbabwe tinofanirwa kuwana kutongwa kwakanaka kwevanhu kwatinogara tichizvitaura, asi tichazviwana kana takazvigadzirira kuramba takamira tichivaudza vatongi vedu zvatinoda isusu. Ngatitangei nasi.

Iyi ndiyo nguva yokusimba wakamirira mangwana yemwana wako

Maria Moyo was born on 15 March 1950 in Gwanda. She died on 6 November 2007, aged 57 years. She was married with 9 children and her last born is a Grade 4 pupil. She left behind 12 grandchildren. She did her primary education in Gwanda at Siboza Primary School up to Standard 4. She joined the liberation struggle in 1970’s and went to Zambia and Botswana.She joined WOZA at its formation in 2003 and was normally in the front of the protests and normally one of the first to be arrested. She was arrested 10 times and was once kept in solitary confinement in Sauerstown Police station. Maria was often just picked up from her home for no apparent reason.

On 24 August at around 4 am, Law and Order officers known to WOZA arrived at her Mabutweni home. Even though her daughter and husband told the officers that she was very ill and tried to refuse them access, they insisted on taking Maria from her home in the freezing cold conditions of that day. Some of the officers involved in this abduction operation are Tshuma, Mthunzi, Masarira, Ncube, Mpofu, and three female officers, one called MaNdlovu. They took her to a bushy area at Khami Ruins and interrogated her and 5 others on the rocks overlooking the Dam. They threatened to throw her into the dam tied up with ropes and rocks.

When WOZA members Williams and Mahlangu visited her that day, she testified speaking in iSindebele, “I have never been so scared in all my life – they wanted to kill me. I became very cold and began to shake uncontrollably, the police became worried so they put me in the car and switched on the heater until the shaking subsided.” The sudden appearance of a white person carrying what looked like a camera bag is what made the police officers fear exposure and they took the 6 members and 18 month old baby home. But having survived the liberation war and despite medical treatment Maria never recovered.

Maria was laid to rest on 11 November in Bulawayo. She will be remembered for her ready smile even in the harsh jail conditions. She will be remembered for her courage and commitment. We will remember her as an outspoken defender of human rights and as our shero. May her soul rest in peace in a better place than the living hell of Zimbabwe.

STAND UP FOR YOUR CHILD
Participate in reclaiming our country’s future

The election date has been announced for 29 March 2008 and we know that now is the time candidates will be coming to us making all kinds of promises to make us vote for them. It is also the time when people realise that they have the chance to decide who will lead our country. WOZA wants you to realise that now is also the time when you should be seriously looking at what the future holds for the next generation. When you read this newsletter, please sit down and think about your child and the dreams you had of a better life for them. Look around you at what your children are doing. Are they in school studying hard and doing well or sleeping on their desks without teachers? Are they queuing at the boreholes or in the bush looking for firewood? Or far away in a foreign land? Is this the future you imagined for them?

YOUR CHILD EXPECTS YOU TO CHANGE THIS BY TAKING FOUR STEPS
1.    Register to vote and check that your name appears on the voters roll.
2.    Attend any rally that you can and ask questions of the candidates, so you can be sure you will vote wisely.
3.    Get up early on 29 March 2008 and go and vote. There are many candidates in this election and we recommend that you vote for a candidate rather than a party. If we do not have independent observers; a proper delimitation process; vote counting and announcement directly from the polling station, then the election process is flawed and can easily be rigged so we must all be vigilant and watch out for those who cheat.
4.    Defend your vote from the time you cast it until it is counted and announced. Just the same way you defend your child, you should defend your vote.

We are disappointed that the election date has been made without our 10 steps and hope that we will vote for someone who will address these steps within 100 days of office.

1.    Violence, in all its forms, must be stopped to allow for a period of healing, peace and justice.
2.    The winners of the election should convene an all-stakeholders’ conference with the following participants: all political parties, non-governmental organisation, churches, labour, business, youth and women all meeting on an equal basis.  Their agenda is to devise a programme for peace and development using the PEOPLE model – People for Economic Opportunity, Peace, Learning and Empowerment
3.    They should also constitute an All-Stakeholders’ Commission with the mandate to outline a process of constitution making. Initiate a constitution-making process, including a plan for transitional justice, consulting all Zimbabweans both at home and abroad.
4.    Having assumed legislative power, they should repeal oppressive legislation against freedom of expression and assembly such as the Public Order and Security Act (POSA) and Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA). An end to the selective application of other laws.
5.    Conduct an audit of civil servants, the judiciary and law enforcement agents as to their professional and non-partisan conduct. Offenders should be sent to re-training/community service or for prosecution. The youth militia should be disbanded and the defence forces should be confined to barracks for retraining.
6.    Begin the process of re-engaging the international community with a view to rehabilitating the economy aimed at job creation.
7.    Carry out a land audit to lay the basis for a permanent and equitable solution to land reform, while promoting immediate resumption of food production.
8.    Take the resulting constitutional and transitional justice proposals to a referendum supervised by Southern African Development Community (SADC). Ensure the referendum has been conducted according to the SADC protocols and under international and regional supervision with international and local observers.
9.    Prepare for the referendum, including reconstituting the Registrar General’s department, preparing new electoral laws, appointing an independent electoral commission and delimitation commission to prepare an electoral roll and prepare for the election.
10.

On Valentine’s Day, WOZA march for Bread and Roses – bread representing the need for affordable food and the roses representing dignity and the call for social justice.  In 2008, nothing has changed. We still need to afford to eat and we still desire a dignified and good life – a life where we can enjoy social justice, a life that we have outlined in the People’s Charter.

Social justice can be defined as a system where people have equal opportunities/access to social, economic, cultural, religious and political needs regardless of race, gender, creed or any other form of discrimination.

It can be the way we interact with others and a method of governance that includes the following:
·    Full enjoyment of all social, political, economic and cultural rights
·    An equal society including gender equality
·    Respect for human rights including women’s and children’s rights
·    Freedoms including speech, assembly and association
·    Respect and tolerance of diversity – culture and religion
·    Transparency and accountability
·    Equal participation in political and economic decision-making
·    Equal application of the law – access to justice and understanding of the law
·    Correction of past injustices such as Gukurahundi and Murambatsvina
·    Gutsaruzhinji/inhlalakahle yabantu (Good living)
·    Access to affordable education
·    Adequate and affordable food
·    Access to affordable housing, electricity, sanitation and clean water
·    Access to affordable healthcare and medication including anti-retrovirals (ARVs)
·    Equal and fair access to fertile land, inputs, equipment and secure ownership
·    Equal opportunities to resources, employment, self-help projects and the right to earn a living wage
·    Development of adequate infrastructure and access to affordable transport
·    Environmentally sustainable usage of resources

As Zimbabweans we deserve the social justice that we talk about but we can only get it if we are prepared to stand up and demand it from our leaders. Make a start today.

Stand up for your child’s future.

Stand up for your child in 2008

2008 has started with huge increases in school fees. When schools closed last year, there were very few teachers, almost no books and many children had already dropped out because they could not pay the fees. This year is no better. The country is a disaster; even if you have money, you cannot get cash or easily find something to buy. There is nothing to celebrate and very little that people can smile about. But you will always find children smiling and laughing – they are happy that someone loves them and will stand up for them. Many parents sacrifice for their child to be educated. In some countries, parents are even sent to jail if they do not send their children to school. But in Zimbabwe, parents cannot provide their children with this basic right to an education.

Our government, which is a government of ‘parents’ and so-called liberation war veterans, knows that the war was fought with the promise of FREE PRIMARY EDUCATION. Blood was spilt for this promise to have been fulfilled. Instead of enjoying the fruits of liberation, after school fees went up by 1,000% last year, school fees are again being increased by millions this year. Government is now also saying that they cannot afford to pay teachers and want the parents to pay them. Is the country bankrupt? If it is then why is there money for the CIO to do whatever they want to do and for the chefs to get new cars? Where are they getting the money from and why can this money not be used to fulfil the promise of free primary education?

Our education system is being allowed to collapse and our children’s future is being sacrificed on the altar of political power by a bunch of corrupt, insensitive, selfish thieves. Can we continue to keep quiet whilst our children are robbed of their future?

Is it a good thing for parents to vote for a politician who has stolen our children’s hopes and dreams? Too many of our children have been forced to become thieves and prostitutes in order to survive or die alone in foreign countries, far away from their loved ones.

Every parent dreams of a better life for their children – that their children will grow strong, be happy, have many children of their own and be successful enough to look after us in our old age. During the liberation war, we were promised free primary education because they wanted all Zimbabweans to be highly educated. To allow the education system to collapse is a crime – for how long must we have to suffer for the crimes of this government? They are stealing our future, which is the same as stealing our lives.

Now is the time to stand strong for your children’s future and for your own.

Remember the proverb taught to us by our ancestors – look after your children because they will look after you when you are old. Chirere chakura chichakurerawo / mondle angakhula uzakondla lawe.

Another African proverb tells us that when spider webs unite, they can tie up a lion. Let us learn from the wisdom of our ancestors – if we come together, we can take back our children’s future.

WOZA urges you to join us in 2008 in standing up for the future of our children.